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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 







THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS. 



ANTIPAS, SON OF CFIUZA 


AND OTHERS 


WHOM JESUS LOVED 



LOUISE SEYMOUR HOUGHTON 


“ Except ye be converted and become as little children ye cannot 
enter into the kingdom of heaven " 



ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH & CO. 

182 FIFTH AVENUE 


ANSON 


Copyright, 1895, by 

D. F. RANDOLPH & CO. 


PRESS OF 

EDWARD O. JENKINS' SON 
NEW YORK 


TO 


MY DEAR FRIEND 

MRS. GEORGE WOOD 

THROUGH WHOSE EYES I HAVE SEEN 

THE HOLY LAND 

AND WITH WHOM, IN SPIRIT 
I HAVE WALKED IN THE LORD’S FOOTSTEPS 


I DEDICATE THIS BOOK 




IJSTTKODU CTION. 


In the story which follows I have tried to show the 
real nature of the Messianic hope held by the various 
classes from which our Lord’s followers were drawn, — 
the devout, the worldly, the patriots, the ecclesiastical 
party, — and to trace the gradual change in the views of 
those who loved him, as his life and teachings led them 
more and more near to a true apprehension of his Mes- 
sianic calling. 

That nearly all the principal characters are children 
does not argue that the story was written for children 
only. Its deepest meaning is indeed for their elders, 
and the key to it lies in the motto on the title-page. 
For the experience of Anti pas and Bar-joses and little 
Janna, and the experience also of the elder followers of 
the Lord, as I have tried to discern it in the Gospel 
story and reproduce it here, goes to show that only the 
childlike spirit, unpreoccupied with notions of what the 
Messiah ought to be or to teach, could frankly accept 
Jesus at his own valuation and enter without hindrance 
into his Kingdom. And herein lies a parable of all 
truth. 

L S. H. 


(V) 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 


The Child Jesus in his Home, 

A Halt of the Caravan, 

A Corner of the Court, 

The Town of the Dyers, - 
Where the Jordan leaves the Lake, 
The boy Jesus in the Temple, 

A Hilly Road in Palestine, 

Syrian Shepherds, - 

The Village called Nain, - 

A Wayside Camp, 

Jews of Jerusalem, - 

Mothers bringing their Children, 

A Ford of the Jordan, 

Bethany, 

The way to Herod’s Palace, 


Frontispiece. 
- Faces page 19 

21 

“ 35 

“ 37 

69 
88 

“ 113 

44 137 

“ 161 
44 178 

44 192 

44 215 

44 223 

“ 240 


Note.— It should be observed that with two exceptions these are modern pictures 
representing the scenes as they appear at the present time. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Introduction v 

CHAPTER 

I. — How the Lord dwelt in Nazareth among his 

friends and kindred 5 

II. — How the Lord left his home at the call of the 

Prophet 11 

III. — How some fishermen of Galilee heard the Proph- 

et’s call 21 

IV. — How Mary told little Janna the story of Jesus’ 

Childhood 28 

V.— How the Prophet called Jesus the Son of God . . 33 

VI. — How the Lord made the fishermen his friends 

and the boy his servant 42 

VII. — How the Lord ministered to his mother at the 

wedding feast . 48 

VIII. — How Anti pas, the son of Chuza, first saw the 

Lord 56 

IX. — How Antipas again saw the Lord 62 

X. — How the Lord gave a sign 71 

XI. — How devout men and women asked the mean- 
ing of the sign 75 

XII. — How Antipas fell ill and was wondrously healed. 82 

(1) 


2 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER PAGE 

XIII. — How Chuza learned that Jesus was the Mes- 

siah 88 

XIV. — How the Lord came unto Lis own and his own 

received him not 91 

XV. — How Simon Peter learned that he was a sin- 
ful man 99 


XVI. — How the Lord taught that the Kingdom was 

one of love 103 

XVII. — How the Lord went about doing good Ill 

XVIII. — How Ezra was restored to health by the for- 
giveness of his sins 116 

XIX. — How Antipas became a son of the law 123 


XX.— How the Lord Jesus began to set up his 
Kingdom 


127 


XXI.— How Antipas was permitted to minister to 
the Lord 


133 


XXII.— How Antipas learned more about the King- 
dom and its King 

XXIII.— How the Lord brought little Tabitha to life.. 

XXIY.-How the Lord taught the children the lesson 
of the lilies 

XXV - — How Bar-joses ministered to the Lord 

XXVI. -How the multitude felt when the Lord would 
not be made King 

XXVII. How Obed learned to believe 


141 

150 

157 

160 

165 

169 


CONTENTS. 


3 


CHAPTER PAGE 

XXVIII. — How the Lord was received at the Feast of 

Tabernacles 176 

XXIX. — How trouble began to gather about the 

Lord 184 

XXX. — How those who loved the Lord cast in 

their lot with him 189 

XXXI. — How Antipas saw the Lord at the Feast of 

Lights 194 

XXXII. — How in Perea they were glad to see the 

Lord return 198 

XXXIII. — How he whom the Lord loved was ill 203 

XXXIV. — How the Lord came to his friends in 

Bethany 207 

XXXV. — How Antipas went by night to warn the 

Lord 211 

XXXVI. — How the Lord entered Jerusalem in kingly 

state 221 

XXXVII. — How Judas of Kerioth looked darkly on 

his Lord t 230 

XXXVIII. — How Mark saw the betrayal of his Lord . 234 

XXXIX. — How the children loved their Lord until 

the end 239 




































































































































































































































































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ANTIPAS, SON OF CHUZA. 


CHAPTER I. 

HOW THE LORD DWELT IN NAZARETH AMONG HIS FRIENDS 
AND KINDRED. 

A little child was playing in the sun before the 
door. He was short and sturdy ; his black curls clustered 
thick on his head ; his large, dark eyes were full of mer- 
riment. He was never for an instant still, but always 
running to and fro on his little brown bare legs, gath- 
ering blocks and bits of wood in the front of his tunic 
and piling them up with eager industry, now into the 
form of a long, low house, uneven enough from the 
roughness of the blocks, and now into a tall tower, 
which, lop-sided from the misshapen material, was sure 
to tumble down before it was half finished. 

The house before which he played was hardly less 
simple than those which he was building. It was of 
only one story, and contained but a single room, clay- 
floored and lighted by a small latticed opening. Out- 
side the door a rude, ladder-like stair led up to the flat 
roof, where flowers were blooming in red earthen jars 
that stood on the broad parapet. In one corner a small 


6 


NAZARETH. 


room had been built ; it was almost covered by a great 
vine which, growing at one angle of the house, over- 
spread two of its sides, flaunting its tendrils above the 
roof of the “ upper room.” 

Down below in the doorway of the house sat a woman 
sewing. She was simply dressed in a sort of robe or 
gown of a coarse blue woolen stuff. Her feet were 
bare, but on her head she wore a short white veil, 
which, nearly hiding her hair, was drawn together un- 
der her chin, leaving her face uncovered. There was 
an air of dignity in the set of her head upon her 
shoulders that would have made her seem almost stern 
if it had not been for the expression in her eyes, a sort 
of gentle amazement, of sweet surprise, as if she had 
lately seen something beautiful but most wonderful. 
The expression deepened as she looked up from her 
needle and smiled into the face of a young man who 
was working at a carpenter’s bench under the shade of 
a sycamore tree that grew before the door. He caught 
his mother’s glance and smiled back at her without 
speaking, but with an expression of love so tender that 
her eyes grew moist as she turned to her needle with a 
soft sigh of content. 

The son so dear to this mother was a man of about 
thirty, tall and slender, yet with a figure so lithe and 
well-knit that it gave an expression of exceeding 
strength. He wore only a coarse brown tunic reaching 
to his feet, though his upper robe of blue, with a twisted 
cord or tassel at the corners, lay on the farther end of 
the bench. His hair was covered with a brown kerchief 


THE SON, THE MOTHER, THE CHILD. 


7 


bound about his head with a yellow cord and flowing 
back over his shoulders. He wore his beard Ions: but 
trimmed away from his mouth, which was firm and 
strong and beautifully formed. There was that in his 
countenance, especially in his eyes, that made you 
look again, a lofty expression of inward joy that seemed 
almost to bear him up above the earth. It was not as 
of pleasure at anything present ; the joy seemed to 
come from within. When he smiled upon his mother 
you would have said that his smile was the very embodi- 
ment of love, but when he turned back to his work 
again his face became nobly serious, yet always with a 
look as if he saw something in common things that 
others did not see. 

The block tower fell again and the little boy uttered 
an expression of fretful impatience. 

“What is it, Janna, child?” asked the woman in 
gentle tones. 

“ The temple will not stand, mother Mary,” replied 
the boy. “ I am building a great, great temple like that 
my father told me of, at Jerusalem ; but whenever I 
get ready to put on the highest roof it falls. And I’m 
so tired,” he added fretfully. 

The young man at the carpenter’s bench laid down 
his plane and looked toward the west. 

“ The sun is going down,” he said. “ It will soon be 
time for my brothers to come home for supper. Little 
Janna, will you come to the upper chamber with me to 
see the sun set ? ” He stretched out his arms, and the 
child, forgetting his fretfulness, leaped across the pile of 


8 


NAZARETH. 


fallen blocks and sprang into the strong embrace. The 
young man lifted the boy, and perching him on his 
shoulder climbed the ladder stair, smiling down as he 
went at his mother, who had folded up her work. 

She had begun her simple preparations for the even- 
ing meal when a quick step was heard and a young 
woman came around the corner of the house. She too 
wore a blue robe, but it was half covered with a brown 
mantle, and her feet were shod with sandals. She 
looked tired, but her face lighted when her eyes met 
Mary’s, and she said in a serious tone, “ Peace be to all 
in this house.” 

“And to you and yours be peace,” Mary replied. 
Then, answering the searching glance that even while 
she spoke the younger woman cast around the place be- 
fore the door and into the dark room, she added : 

“ Your little Janna has been a good child all day, 
Ruth. He has had enough to keep him busy, now play- 
ing at cornfields with the shavings and again building 
houses and temples with the blocks. Just now he began 
to get tired and fretful, and my Jesus has carried him 
to the upper chamber to see the sun go down.” 

“ And to tell him one of his beautiful tales, no doubt,” 
added the younger woman. “He is so patient and 
tender with the children ! But I will go up, Mary, and 
bring Janna down ; our supper is ready and Ezra is 
very weary with the day’s work. Even with my help 
in carrying his pack he can hardly make his rounds,” 
she added anxiously. 

“ May the God of Jacob be his strength ! ” said Mary, 


ON THE HOUSE-TOP. 


9 


with an earnestness so deep that to Ruth it seemed like 
a promise. 

Ruth’s foot was already on the lower step of the rude 
stair, and she went softly up ; but at the top she stood 
still under the shadow of the sycamore tree. 

For the picture that she saw before her made her 
mother-heart thrill and her eyes fill with tears of a pleas- 
ure that was half awe. On the edge of the broad para- 
pet sat the young man with her child leaning against 
his knee and looking intently into his face. The sun 
had just gone down behind the hills, its golden rays 
shot up over half the sky and seemed to transfigure his 
whole person as he gazed with a look of tenderness into 
the child’s uplifted eyes. He was speaking softly, but 
as the young mother reached the top of the stair he 
paused a moment as if in thought. 

“ Tell me the rest, please,” said little Janna in his 
fresh young voice. “ What did the good shepherd do 
when he found the little lamb that had strayed away 
from him ? ” 

“ He laid it on his shoulders rejoicing,” said the 
young man, taking the child’s hand and looking seri- 
ously on the little up-turned face. “ And when he came 
home he called together his friends and neighbors, say- 
ing to them, 4 Rejoice with me, for I have found my 
sheep which was lost.’ ” 

“ Because he was so glad to find the naughty little 
sheep \ ” asked Janna, his eyes very earnest now. 

The young man softly patted the little hand that lay 
within his own, but his gaze was lifted to the sky again, 


10 


NAZARETH. 


and lie said, rather to himself than to Janna, “Even so 
there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that re- 
pents.” The child looked puzzled, then reverting to 
the words he had understood he said, “ You carried me 
up the stair on your shoulder, dear Jesus, just as the 
shepherd carried the little lamb. Am I your little 
lamb ? ” 

Jesus only smiled his answer, for at that moment the 
child caught sight of his mother and ran toward her 
with a glad cry. She had been gone from him all day, 
and a day is a long time for a boy of five to be away 
from his mother. Yet as she let him down from her 
arms after a close embrace, and took his hand to lead 
him down the stair, he looked back toward the parapet 
where the young man still sat. 

“ I would like to stay with Jesus, too,” he said, pull- 
ing his hand away from his mother’s. “ Can’t we come 
here and live with Jesus and Mary and all the others ? 
I don’t want to go home to our house. It isn’t nice 
like this.” 

His voice had the fretful sound of a little boy who 
has been playing hard all day and is tired and sleepy. 
But he caught the glance of Jesus’ eyes, a look very 
loving and yet very full of command. The cloud 
cleared away from the little face ; he took his mother’s 
hand ; his voice grew sweet and fresh again. 

“ Good-night, dear Jesus,” he said. “ I’ll go home 
with mother now and come again to-morrow to see you.” 


CHAPTER II. 


HOW THE LORD LEFT HIS HOME AT THE CALL OF THE 
PROPHET. 

Little Janna had not been quite correct in saying that 
his own house was not as nice as that of Jesus. From 
his point of view, however, perhaps it was not, for there 
was no carpenter’s bench before the door and none of that 
litter of blocks and shavings that a child so delights in. 

Janna’s home was one of four low-roofed houses built 
around a court which you entered by a narrow, tunnel- 
like alley. There were chickens strutting about the 
court, clothes flapping from lines stretched overhead, 
and great water-jars standing against the stuccoed house 
walls, and before one of the doors some glowing coals in 
a brazier. And in one corner there was a broad spread- 
ing fig-tree that made a shady place for the children to 
play on hot afternoons. Now the various families were 
taking their suppers from low tables set before their 
house doors, but before Janna’s door there was only a 
great pack of costly stuffs that his father, Ezra, had 
bought of a trader from Damascus. Within the house 
there was a candle burning, and the low table was drawn 
up to the raised bench, or divan, that ran all around 
the room. A man was lying on the divan in an atti- 
tude of great weariness, but he raised his head and 

( 11 ) 


12 


NAZARETH. 


stretched out his arms when little Janna ran toward 
him with a cry of delight. 

The mother brought a bowl of smoking lenti^es from 
the brazier in the court, and then mother and son stood 
with bowed heads while the father rose and, covering 
his head with the skirt of his tallith or outer robe, 
reverently pronounced the grace before meat. Then 
they all sat down, and the father, tearing off a strip from 
the thin loaf of bread that lay before him, rolled it into 
a sort of horn and, scooping up some of the lentiles, 
handed the “ sop ” to the child. 

“ And what has my son been doing all day ? ” he pres- 
ently asked. 

“ I have been playing at Jesus’ house,” answered 
Janna. “I like to play there, father ; there are nice 
blocks and shavings. And I like Jesus, too.” 

“ He told you a pretty story to-night,” observed the 
mother. 

“ He often tells me stories, mother ; he tells them to 
all the children.” 

“ I think there never was any one so good to chil- 
dren,” said Ruth to her husband. “ They all love him 
and flock around him wherever he goes.” 

“ I have seen them following him about the market 
place,” replied the father. “ But, Ruth, you should not 
let Janna be a burden to Jesus. He is but a little fel- 
kw, you know, and might easily be in the way.” 

“I don’t think Jesus finds him so, Ezra,” replied 
Ruth, and little Janna, looking up from his supper 
with eyes round with surprise, said : 


TELLING THE STORY TO NATHAN. 


13 


“ I don’t trouble Jesus, father. Why, he loves me ! ” 

The father smiled indulgently as he rose and gave the 
signal for returning thanks. And then Euth went 
about her household tasks, with Janna following after 
her, as little boys are wont to do. 

“What was the story Jesus told you, Janna?” she 
asked as they stood outside the door while she washed 
the platter from which they had eaten their supper. 

“ About a little lamb, a naughty lamb that ran away 
from the good shepherd and got lost on the dark moun- 
tains,” replied the child. Then suddenly raising his 
voice, he exclaimed pettishly. “You shan’t hear, Nathan ; 
you just keep away ! ” 

A boy from one of the other houses, a shambling, 
awkward fellow with lack-lustre eyes, had drawn near 
as if to listen. 

“Don’t be cross to Nathan,” reproved the mother. 
“ You know he is often sick, poor boy, and very suffer- 
ing. You should be good to him. Don’t you think 
Jesus would like him to hear your pretty story ? ” 

Janna’s face grew pleasant again ; the mere name of 
his beloved friend seemed always to make him good. 
“You may hear, Nathan,” he said ; “it is about how 
the good shepherd was so sorry that the lamb was 
naughty, so very sorry, that he went after it in the dark 
night and fought the fierce wolf that wanted to tear the 
little lamb.” 

« Did the wolf bite the shepherd ? ” mumbled Nathan, 
his dull eyes showing a gleam of interest. 

“ I think he did, for wolves ’most always bite, you 


14 


NAZARETH. 


know, but Jesus didn’t tell me that. He only told me 
that the shepherd was very glad to have his little lamb 
again/’ 

A man who had come out from one of the houses and 
was standing by with a sneer upon his face took Nathan 
by the arm. 

“ Not much of a story, to my thinking,” he said. 
“But what could you expect of Jesus? Always with 
the children or else off by himself upon the hilltops 
yonder. A man never amounts to anything who doesn’t 
mix with men.” 

“ He makes the children happy, Obed,” replied 
Ruth. 

“Yes,” said Obed, his face growing softer as he 
looked at his afflicted son. “ It is something, of course, 
to make the children happy.” 

Obed led Nathan away, and Janna followed Ruth 
into their house, where she laid him to sleep on the 
divan that was bed and couch and almost everything 
else in the way of furniture of the room. After that 
the father and mother went up the outer stair to sit 
upon the house-top. The moon was shining on the 
low, round hills that encircle the village “ as the leaves 
encircle a rose.” The clustered houses gleamed white 
in their thick bowers of trees and vines. The fragrance 
of many flowers rose on the sweet night air. The village 
was still save for the murmur of voices on the roofs 
and now and then the distant bark of a dog guarding 
the sheep upon the hillsides. The children in all the 
houses had gone to rest. 


HOPING FOE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 


15 


“ Ezra,” said Ruth after a few minutes of quiet 
thought, “ what do you think it means, the preaching of 
that prophet by Jordan of whom we heard to-day ? Do 
you really believe that the Lord is about to visit His 
people at last ? ” 

“ Why not, Ruth? Is it not this what we have all 
been looking for and praying for this many a year? 
Have we not reason to believe that the redemption of 
Jerusalem draws nigh ? ” 

“ And that King Messiah is coming for our deliver- 
ance ! O Ezra, can it be that we shall live to see our 
land free from the dominion of the stranger and the 
Lord’s Anointed reigning over us ? ” 

“ What did they tell us that the prophet said ? ” re- 
plied her husband. “What, but that the kingdom of 
heaven is at hand ! ” 

“ And ‘ repent ’ ; he said that also, Ezra, ‘ repent and 
be baptized for the remission of sins.’” 

“Aye, for verily the nation needs to repent, Ruth. 
We have sinned, we and our fathers; and it is by re- 
pentance and the casting off of sin that the valleys are 
to be filled up and the rough places levelled for King 
Messiah’s chariot, as the prophet Esaias has said.” 

“ For King Messiah’s chariot ! ” exclaimed Ruth fer- 
vently, clasping her hands. “ God grant that He come 
speedily ! ” 

They sat quiet in the moonlight plunged in deepest 
thought. At length Ezra rose and, covering his head, 
stood for a long time bent forward in silent prayer. 
Then, holding out his hand to Ruth, she rose and stood 


16 


NAZARETH. 


reverently bent beside him as he repeated the even- 
ing prayer that for thousands of years has gone up 
nightly from the homes of pious Israelites all over the 
world : 

“ O Lord, our God ! Cause us to lie down in peace 
and raise us up again to life, O our King ! Spread over 
us the tabernacle of Thy peace : strengthen us before 
Thee in Thy good counsel and deliver us for Thy name’s 
sake. Be Thou for protection round about us. Keep 
far from us the enemy, the pestilence, the sword, famine, 
and affliction. Keep Satan from before and from be- 
hind us, and hide us in the shadow of Thy wings, for 
Thou art God who helpest and deliverest us ; and Thou, 
O God, art a gracious and merciful King. Keep Thou 
our going out and our coming in, for life and for peace, 
from henceforth and for ever ! ” 

They were sitting at table in the dawn of the next 
morning when Mary, the mother of Jesus, came into 
the court. Her eyes were red as if from tears, and yet 
her face was serene ; for more than ever it wore that 
expression as if she saw some glorious thing that others 
did not see. 

“My Jesus is gone to the Jordan,” she said in a low 
voice, as she seated herself near Ruth, after the morn- 
ing greetings had been spoken. 

Ruth looked up in excitement. “ To the prophet ! ” 
she exclaimed. 

“ Yes,” replied Mary. Her eyes filled with tears, yet 
her smile was mysteriously sweet. “ He has never left 
me before, you know, and it is quite right that he should 


IIOW WILL THE MESSIAH COME? 


17 


go. His brothers are good sons and will take care of 
me.” 

“ Yes,” Ezra replied thoughtfully, “ we all know 
where Jesus’ heart is. That cry of the prophet, ‘The 
kingdom of God is at hand,’ could not but stir him to 
his very soul ! ” 

Little Janna had come around to where Mary sat and 
was leaning against her knee. “ Where is Jesus gone ? ” 
he asked. “ Are they going to make him King? ” 

“No, foolish little one,” said his mother. “You are 
too young to understand what we are saying;” but 
Mary encircled the child in her arms and pressed a kiss 
upon his brow. 

“How do you think he will come — Messiah our 
King ? ” asked Ruth. Mary made no answer, but Ezra 
replied : 

“ Suddenly to his temple he will come. Has not 
Malachi, the prophet, said it? Ah, that will be a great 
and terrible day, when the heathen that desecrate the 
holy city shall flee before him and he shall smite his 
enemies with the sword of his mouth.” 

“But he will speak peace unto his own people, 
Ezra,” said his wife in gentle tones, for Ezra had risen 
in his enthusiasm and his eyes were flashing fire. 

“ Ah, yes, unto his own,” he said, taking his seat again 
stiffly, as one who moves with pain. “ But who shall 
know that he is of the remnant that are his very own ? 
Who shall abide the day of his appearing? For he 
shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” 

“Yes, but not to destroy,” said Mary in tones so 


18 


NAZARETH. 


thrilling that both Ezra and Ruth looked at her in sur- 
prise. “ Not to destroy, but to offer unto Jehovah an 
offering in righteousness.” 

“ Ah, yes, in righteousness,” returned Ezra, “ but oh, 
our sins, our sins ! ” he added with a groan. “ His 
kingdom will be one of holiness — how shall we sinners 
enter in ? ” 

“ The sacrifices,” began Ruth in a hesitating voice, 
but little Janna, who had been dutifully quiet while the 
elders were, speaking, as little boys in Nazareth were 
taught to do, now gave a deep sigh of weariness. All 
eyes were turned toward him in sympathy, for they un- 
derstood that a little boy gets tired with such talk. 

“ Lend Janna to me to-day, Ruth,” said Mary rising. 
“ My house seems lonely without my son, and when I 
hear the child’s little feet pattering about I shall fancy 
it is yesterday and my Jesus with me still.” And so, as 
the young mother assented, Mary and the little boy 
went away hand in hand, Mary with her water- jar npon 
her shoulder, for she had but called in on her way to the 
fountain to inquire how Ezra found himself. For over 
Ezra hung a dark shadow, that of creeping palsy, that 
threatened to make him helpless in the very midst of 
his years. 

It was Janna’s great delight to go to the fountain. 
All the women of the village went there for water, and 
with them went their little children— the taph, or cling- 
ing ones, so young that they cling to their mothers’ 
gowns when they are tired or bashful. 

There were half a dozen there to-day, round-eyed, 











































































































































































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•V 





































A HALT OF THE CARAVAN 



WHAT IS THE PROPHET’S PART ? 


19 


bare-legged children like Janna, who looked furtively 
out from behind the screen of their mothers’ garments, 
and then, growing suddenly bold, ran toward one an- 
other to compare the treasures they had in their hands, 
nut-shells, or bits of stone, or little blocks of wood. But 
the mothers spoke together of their sons and husbands 
who had set out that morning to go to the Jordan, where 
the prophet was calling men to repent. “ What does it 
all mean ? ” they asked one another. 

“ They say it is Elias come back to earth again,” said 
one of a group of girls, laughing and showing her white 
teeth, “ but I think it is easy enough to wear a coarse 
robe of camel’s hair and call oneself a prophet. Can he 
raise the dead to life as Elias did? When he does that 
we will believe he is a prophet ; is not that so, Penninah ? ” 
she asked a girl who stood near and who joined her in 
her mocking laugh. 

“ Peace, Esther,” said Mary gently, as she lifted her 
water-jar upon her shoulder. u You know not what you 
are saying. There are other things for a prophet to do 
beside raise the dead.” 

“ What things ? ” asked the girl, her mocking checked 
by Mary’s earnest words. 

“ Such as to touch the careless heart and make it feel 
the presence of the Lord God,” said Mary seriously ; and 
no one spoke flippantly as she moved away with little 
Janna clinging to her skirts. 

As they crossed the market place where the great road 
from the sea to Damascus passed the gate, they stood 
still to watch a caravan that was going by, camels loaded 


20 


NAZARETH. 


with rich stuffs, and donkeys bearing provisions, and 
men walking beside them wearing curious garments, 
with sandals on their feet and long staves in their hands. 
A boy about twelve years old stood in the gateway gaz- 
ing at them, but as he moved to make room for little 
Janna to see he said to Mary : 

“ I should like to join that caravan. I am tired of 
Nazareth, and I would gladly see the world.” 

“ You are rather young for that, Bar-joses,” she 
answered seriously. 

“ For all that I mean to go somewhere,” he replied. 
“ My father is dead ; why should I stay ? There is no 
one to care for me now that Jesus is gone away. He 
was good to me,” he added in a softer tone. 

“And to me too,” said little Janna. “Hove Jesus.” 

“ He is good to all the clinging ones,” rejoined Bar- 
joses, “and to the free ones* too. Now that he is 
gone I shall not stay here. I shall go to Capernaum and 
learn to be a fisherman.” 

“Go, then, to Zebedee, my sister’s husband,” said 
Mary. “ Tell him Mary of Nazareth sends greeting and 
asks him to teach you his trade if he has need of a 
helper.” 

* The Jews distinguish eight different periods of childhood by- 
special names. Children the age of Janna, who cling to their 
mothers’ skirts in walking, are taph, the clinging ones. Boys of 
eleven or twelve are naar, those who have shaken themselves 
free 







♦ 







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'J» - 1 






































v* 










*<■ - *-:> 






A CORNER OF THE COURT. 





CHAPTEE III. 


HOW SOME FISHERMEN OF CAPERNAUM HEARD THE 
prophet’s CALL. 

In the court of Zebedee’s house in Capernaum all was 
activity and bustle. It was still very early ; the sun had 
not risen high enough to peep over the parapet of the 
roof, and the place lay in cool shadow, of which Zebe- 
dee’s partners and servants were fain to take advantage. 
Two women were grinding corn at a mill in one corner 
to make bread for the morning meal ; two others were 
pounding clothes in a tank beside a fountain set in the 
wall ; the remaining space in the court and all the lower 
rooms of the house were occupied by men-servants en- 
gaged in salting down fish in casks, or wrapping the 
largest and finest in cool green leaves for packing in 
donkey panniers, or laying others not so choice in flat 
open baskets to be carried at once to the city market. 
Three young men, from twenty to thirty years old, who 
had laid aside their upper robes and tucked up their 
under-garments in their girdles, were sometimes giving 
orders, sometimes helping in the work. A little apart 
stood the old man Zebedee surveying it all with an air 
of satisfaction, now and then adding a word to the com- 
mands of his younger partners. 

In the midst of the bustle a lad came in through the 

( 21 ) 


22 


CAPERNAUM. 


turmel-like alley that led in from the street and, per- 
ceiving Zebedee, advanced toward him with a respectful 
obeisance. 

“Peace be to you, boy!” said the old man. “Do 
you bring me a message ? ” 

“ A greeting from Mary of Nazareth,” answered the 
boy. “ And she says, will Zebedee take Bar-joses for a 
servant and teach him the fisherman’s trade ? ” 

“ Bar-joses ! ” repeated Zebedee. “ Are you of her 
husband’s kindred ? ” 

“ No,” replied the boy, “ I am nothing to her — only 
— ” he hesitated, and then added, “only my father and 
mother are dead, and her son Jesus was very kind to me.” 

“ Orphaned, poor lad,” said Zebedee, with quick sym- 
pathy. “ And so you would learn the fisher’s trade. 
You come in good time. We had a rare catch last 
night. Ho, Phineas,” he added, raising his voice, “ let 
this boy help you with the salting, and see what he is 
good for.” 

While he spoke a woman came out upon the gallery 
upon which the rooms of the second story opened. She 
was dressed in fine white linen and wore a short white 
veil over her hair, pushed back, however, so that her 
whole face could be seen. A kind, motherly face it 
was, that brightened into a smile when Zebedee looked 
up and saw her. 

“ Peace to you, Salome,” he said ; “ here is a lad 
who brings greetings from your sister, Mary of Naza- 
reth. I have just undertaken, at her request, to try him 
and see if lie can make a fisherman.” 


JOHN COMES HOME FROM JERUSALEM. 23 


The woman came eagerly toward the stair that led 
down into the court ; but just at that moment her atten- 
tion was attracted by a stir about the entrance. 

A young man followed by a servant driving a string 
of donkeys came into the court through the tunnel. He 
was very young, barely eighteen, though tall and vigor- 
ous. He wore a large, square mantle, his brown robe 
hung down to his sandaled feet, while his head was cov- 
ered with a brown kerchief bound on with yellow cords 
and flowing back over the shoulders. The youth came 
directly up to Zebedee with the words, “ Peace be to 
you, my father,” receiving the answer, u The blessing 
of the God of Jacob be upon you, my son.” The other 
young men gathered around the traveller, but at sight 
of his mother he broke away from them and, running 
toward her, threw his arms around her, with warm kisses. 

“ You wflll stay to breakfast, Simon and Andrew,” 
said Zebedee addressing two of his young partners, as a 
servant came to say that the morning meal was ready. 
“ Let one of the men go and tell your wife, Simon. 
You must hear what news John has brought us from 
Jerusalem.” 

Attendants drew near with basins and ewers, one to 
pour water on dusty feet, others to remove the stains of 
toil from the hands of those who had been at work, 
handing them afterwards their upper robes and liead- 
kerchiefs. All being ready, they went to breakfast 
under an awning upon the flat roof of the house. 

“ What success, my son ? ” asked Zebedee, taking his 
seat after the prayer had been said. 


24 


OAPEKNAUM. 


“ It could not be better, father,” replied the young 
man. “ The high priest’s steward has many times said 
that the fish I served him were better than he got from 
other merchants ; and the day before I set forth from 
Jerusalem the high priest himself sent for me, com- 
mended the freshness and the fine quality of our wares, 
and bade me consider myself engaged to furnish all the 
fish that would be used at his table. And a like mes- 
sage came to me from the new governor, Pontius Pilate, 
and from Mcodemus, who, you know, is a noted rabbi, 
a member of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. I have a goodly 
sum to divide between us all,” he added, with a flush of 
pleasure. 

“That is well,” said the father. “We will attend to 
that when breakfast is over. You have shown yourself 
a worthy partner, young though you are.” 

“It was a happy thought of John’s,” said Simon, 
“that of going to Jerusalem to represent our firm 
and so enlarge our trade. Surely we need no longer 
think of him as a youth. That was the thought of a 
man.” 

“Well said, partner Simon,” replied Zebedee with a 
pleased looked. “ And now no more of business while 
we sit at table.” 

“Tell us rather of your journey home, my son,” 
said the mother. “ You came by way of Bethshan and 
Sychar doubtless, and were so well provided with things 
needful that you required to have no dealings with the 
Samaritans ? ” 

“Well provided I was indeed, mother, but I did not 


THE KINGDOM OP GOD AT HAND. 


25 


come through Samaria,” answered the young man, his 
eyes suddenly lighting up as if a fire had been kindled 
there. “ I went down to Jericho and so up the Jordan 
Yalley with a great throng of men from Jerusalem and 
all parts of Judea, that I might see and hear the won- 
derful prophet who has suddenly appeared and is bap- 
tizing multitudes in the Jordan.” 

“ I have heard something of him,” said Zebedee. 
“ And so you saw him, my son ? ” 

“ Yes, father, I tarried for a day to hear him preach. 
O father, if you had heard him you would be ready 
to give up all thought of business ; indeed, you would 
find it hard to turn away from his preaching. For 
he says,” and John’s eyes flashed and his cheeks burned 
as lie turned eagerly from one to another, “ he says 
that the kingdom of God is at hand, that He is com- 
ing who shall lay the axe to the root of the trees, to 
hew down and cast into the fire all who are his enemies, 
destroying them with a terrible destruction.” 

“ The kingdom of God ! ” exclaimed every member 
of the little group. 

“ Yes, the kingdom of God,” repeated John. “ The 
time that Israel has long waited for has come at last. 
His enemies shall be destroyed. His Anointed is to 
come, and His people are to be baptized with the Holy 
Ghost to carry out His behests.” 

“ Yes, so have the prophets taught that it should be,” 
said the father. “ But is that all his message ? ” 

“ He calls on every one to repent of sin and be bap- 
tized for its remission,” the youth went on. “ And he 


26 


CAPERNAUM. 


preached with such power and solemnity that my heart 
melted within me while he spoke. I should like to he 
baptized ; I should have liked to remain with him as his 
disciple.” 

“And what about our trade, then?” asked Andrew. 
“Would you leave that just when you have got it upon 
so fine a footing ? ” 

“ What ! ” exclaimed John’s brother James, who had 
kept an intense silence, “ think about trade when there 
is hope of the speedy coming of the Messiah King ! 
Where will our trade be then ? Shall we not leap to 
join his forces and march with them to cast down the 
power of Home and Idumea ? ” He half rose from the 
table, but seated himself again as he caught his mother’s 
glance. 

“ I know,” said Andrew thoughtfully, “ our trade is 
of small importance indeed compared with that, and yet 
there must be fishermen, I suppose, even in the Mes- 
siah’s reign.” 

“There will be great turnings and overturnings when 
he comes,” said old Zebedee. “ It will be a time of aw- 
ful judgment. The yoke of Rome and of Herod will 
not be lightly shaken off.” 

“ But every loyal son of Jacob will spring to arms at 
the sound of his call, my father,” exclaimed James with 
flashing eyes. “O God, hasten the day? My soul 
faints with longing for its coming.” 

The mother had looked from one to another of her 
eager sons without speaking, but now she asked John, 
“ How does the prophet describe his coming, my son ? ” 


PREPARATION FOR THE MESSIAH’S COMING. 27 

“ He will come in terrible might, mother, to those 
who set themselves up against him, burning them like 
chaff in unquenchable fire, but the just, those who long 
for his appearing, he will gather to himself like good 
ripe wheat.” 

“ What was that about preparation ? ” interrupted the 
eldest of the four young men, who had not yet spoken. 

“ O Simon, when the prophet spoke of that I forgot 
the conquering might of the Messiah in the longing I 
had to be made ready for him in my heart. ‘ Repent,’ 
he preached, and he made it so plain that the Messiah’s 
reign must be a reign of holiness, that the blackness of 
my own life appalled me. I longed to pass under the 
waters with the prophet and come up clean from sin. 
O father, if I might go back there and hear him yet 
again 1 ” 

“ And I too,” said Andrew, “ would cheerfully give 
up something of our opportunities of trade to learn of 
him the truth about the kingdom.” 

“ And so would I,” said Simon. 

“ There is no reason why you should not all go, if you 
like,” said Zebedee. “ Let John but conduct the loaded 
donkeys to Jerusalem and fulfill his engagements there, 
taking Phineas, our trusty servant, to leave in charge of 
our affairs. Then you can all go to meet him where the 
prophet is, beside the Jordan.” 


CHAPTER IY. 


HOW MARY TOLD LITTLE JANNA THE STORY OF JESUS 5 
CHILDHOOD. 

In two of the humble homes of Nazareth there was 
anxiety about Ezra; he had been seriously ill, and 
though he had somewhat recovered, it was very plain 
that he would never again be able to travel about with 
his pack. There was only one thing to be done — re- 
move to Capernaum and open a shop in the bazaar of 
the cloth merchants. With the aid of Ruth he could 
still serve customers, half helpless though he was. 

In those anxious days little Janna spent much time at 
Mary’s house. The carpenter’s bench was still there, 
though Jesus was gone, and there were still blocks and 
shavings lying about with which the little boy could 
play. While Mary was busy with her work he amused 
himself with them ; but when she sat down beside the 
door with her needle or her distaff, he would come and 
sit on the ground at her feet and ask her to tell him 
more about Jesus when he was a little boy. 

That was always the subject of their talk. It seemed 
as if the longer that beloved friend was absent the 
deeper became his image in little Janna’s heart ; and to 
the mother, parted for the first time from the first-born 
son who had been to her what son had never been to 
( 28 ) 


JESUS AS A LITTLE CHILD. 


29 


mother before, the days when he was a little child and 
all her own came back with the freshness of a present 
experience. 

So, while she plied her distaff and little Janna sat 
upon the ground at her feet, she told him over and over 
again the story of Jesus’ childhood. How even as a 
jeled , a newly-born one, he had been sweeter than other 
babies, so strong, so well-shapen, so good, never making 
trouble, content to lie where he was put; how as a 
jonck , a suckling, he had been bubbling over with joy, 
pleased at all the sights and sounds around him, brave 
to bear the bruises his superabundant activity brought 
upon him, quick to recognize every tone of his mother’s 
voice and heed all her little warnings ; and so on, 
through all the dear stages of infancy, ever bright and 
full of life, yet ever obedient to his mother’s voice, and 
ah, so full of love, his little face shining with quick re- 
sponse to every one who said a pleasant word to him, 
yet always loving his mother best of all ! And then, 
when he had grown to be a taph , a clinging one, like 
little Janna himself, ah, then, how dear he had been ! 
A real help with the little brothers and sisters as they 
came, one by one, into the cradle, a sturdy little servant 
for her in her household tasks, and yet so full of play, 
so wide-awake with joy, that all the village children 
loved to be with him. They never quarrelled with him, 
never; they did not even quarrel among themselves 
when he was playing with them, for he always knew 
the way to make them to be at peace in their plays, 
“even when he was no older than you, my Janna,” 


30 


NAZARETH. 


Mary would add, with a soft smile and a lovely, far- 
away look in her wondering brown eyes. 

“Was he not naughty sometimes?” Janna would 
ask. 

“ He did not always find it easy to obey, he was so 
full of interest in whatever he was doing,” Mary would 
answer, “ but he never disobeyed. Sometimes, when he 
was little like you, and his brother James was fretful 
and the village children were calling him to play, or 
when I had work for him to do and he heard the sound 
of a great caravan passing through the market place, he 
would stand still a moment when I called him, and his 
face would look troubled. But even then he never 
needed to be called twice. In a moment he would 
come with his brown eyes all full of love again, ready to 
do his mother’s will. Ho, my Jesus never disobeyed,” 
his mother would say reflectively ; and then she would 
sink into silence until the little boy said again : 

“ Tell me more about Jesus, please.” 

And then she would tell him how she had taught him 
all the Scripture from Adam to the Flood, as it is told 
in the Book of Moses, while yet he was a little clinging 
one, standing beside her knee ; and how easily he learned 
to repeat the Shema , the creed, beginning, “Hear, O 
Israel, the Lord thy God is one Lord,” and the six 
Psalms of the Hallel , and the first eight chapters of 
Leviticus, which every little boy should know before he 
begins to go to school. 

“ I can say the Shema” Janna would interpose, “ and 
I almost know the Hallel too.” And Mary would kiss 


HOW THE BOY JESUS WAS BELOVED. 


31 


him on the brow for love of the blessed child who had 
once stood where he was standing, leaning against her 
knee. And she would go on to tell how fast Jesus 
learned at school, and how he loved to read in the parch- 
ment roll of the Scriptures which had come down to his 
mother from her father’s father, and which was carefully 
treasured in the ark which Janna had often seen on a 
table in the place of honor in Mary’s house. For Jesus 
had not been satisfied with learning what the other chil- 
dren learned at school, but had persuaded the Chazzan, 
the minister of the synagogue, to teach him to read the 
sacred Hebrew tongue in which the word of the Lord 
had come to Moses and the prophets. 

“ And when he grew big he used to play in the mar- 
ket place ? ” Janna would ask, to whom this, rather 
than the reading of Hebrew, was the object of high am- 
bition. 

“ Ah, yes,” Mary would answer, “ and all the boys 
were so eager to play with him. He was a very king 
among them, the leader in all their games, he was so 
strong and so swift at running, and always played fair 
in everything. There was always a train of boys fol- 
lowing him, little and big, for he was very gentle to the 
little ones, and would never let the big ones tease them 
or tyrannize over them. All the little ones loved my 
Jesus when he was a boy.” 

“ I love Jesus, too,” little Janna would say, and again 
there would be silence while Mary pondered in her 
heart the events of that long-past childhood. 

“Tell me about when he went to the mountain*” 


32 


NAZARETH. 


Janna would say at last, and tlien Mary would tell how 
Jesus used to love to climb that highest hill that little 
Janna could see over yonder, and stand there, looking off 
to snowy Hermon in the north or to the broad plain of 
Esdraelon in the south, where long ago Jehovah had de- 
livered His people out of the hand of Sisera by the 
hand of His servant Barak, and where many a time 
since He had delivered them out of the hand of other 
enemies by the hands of His servants, Saul and David ; 
and how from the top of that hill he could see afar off 
toward the sunrising the lake of Galilee down in the 
deep basin of the hills, and westward the great sea and 
the mighty Mount Carmel where Elijah slew the pro- 
phets of Baal. Or how he would pass the summer after- 
noons lying amid the flowers on the hillside, thinking 
long thoughts that he would partly tell to her when he 
came home — about the fox that had flashed passed him, 
going to the hole that God had given him for a home, 
and the birds of the air for which He had promised 
food ; and how when he saw the sower going forth to 
sow in the early spring-time, or watched the harvesters 
separating the wheat from the tares, strange thoughts 
had come to him, which he hardly understood, and 
which he could not repeat even to her, his mother. 
And then Mary would break off again, for she knew 
that now she was going beyond the little boy’s depth. 

So the days went on until the time came when Eutli 
and Ezra had all their preparations made for removing 
to Capernaum, and Mary must say good-by to little 
Janna, the child who was so dear to her because he was 
one whom her Jesus loved. 


CHAPTER V. 


HOW THE PROPHET CALLED JESUS THE SON OF GOD. 

Bar- joses had been six weeks with the servants of 
Zebedee learning the fisher’s trade. He had begun to 
be really useful in sorting and packing the fish, and had 
even learned how to handle the easily managed lateen 
sail in case a sudden squall on the lake made quick 
handling necessary. Yet his thoughts were not all with 
the fish and the boats. They often went back to Jesus 
who had been so kind to him in Nazareth, and he won- 
dered where he was now and if he should ever see him 
again. 

He had another subject of thought. At times when 
he was working in the court and Salome had come down 
to look after her maids, he would hear her exchange a 
few words with Zebedee about their sons, who were with 
the prophet at the Jordan, and discuss the question of the 
Messiah’s speedy coming; and strange thoughts about 
what would happen if the Messiah should really come 
by degrees came more and more to occupy his mind. 
Now and then some word came from James and John 
and their partners, Simon and Andrew, who had some 
time ago met by the Jordan ; and at last a message arrived 
saying that they had become disciples of the prophet, 
having resolved to remain and learn of him, and so pre- 

( 33 ) 


34 


CAPERNAUM. 


pare themselves more perfectly to meet that great and 
terrible day of the Lord which must usher in the Mes- 
siah’s kingdom. 

When this word was brought to the Capernaum home, 
Salome said : “ We must send some things to our sons, 
Zebedee ; they will need food and a change of cloth- 
ing.” 

And it was decided that Bar-joses should be sent, for 
he could best be spared from the work that had become 
pretty heavy for old Zebedee, now that all his young 
partners were away. 

A proud boy was Bar-joses as he walked beside the 
heavily-laden donkey through the narrow streets of 
Capernaum and came out upon the broad open place 
before the southern gate, where the elders were sitting 
to decide upon cases and the merchants were chaffering 
and the children playing and calling to one another. 
His mind was so full of the kingdom, of which he had 
been hearing much in Zebedee’s house and for which he 
was beginning to look with eager expectation, that it 
gave him a painful shock to come upon a publican 
standing at the place of toll to collect the tax which the 
Homan government exacted on everything that passed 
the gates. Every one hated to pay the tax, which, how- 
ever small, reminded them that Israel was not a free 
people, but lay under the dominion of Borne ; and to 
Bar-joses the contrast between his high anticipations and 
the reality made him glad to add his voice to the jeers 
and taunts with which the town boys assailed Matthew, 
the despised tax-gatherer. 







































































• . 















f 





THE TOWN OF THE DYERS. 







ALONG THE LAKE SIDE. 


35 


This, however, did not detain him, and he was soon 
outside of the city, walking along the highway beside 
the lake of Galilee. This was its broadest part ; it was 
eight miles across to where the mountains of Gilead rose 
purple against the deep blue sky. All the beautiful 
sheet of water was flecked with vessels ; the gilded pin- 
naces of the nobles, Roman war galleys with their flash- 
ing oars, and the brightly colored lateen sails of the fish- 
ing boats. Bar-joses tried to distinguish those of 
Zebedee among the hundreds that skimmed the waters, 
but not succeeding turned his attention to the nearer 
scene — the lovely plain of Genesaret, with its rich grass 
so thickly studded with flowers that it looked like a 
Persian carpet, the waterfalls bounding down the sides 
of the hills that walled it in on the west, and the pictur- 
esque Horns of Hattin, the two-peaked, mount, that 
towered over all. 

It was still early when he passed through Magdala, 
the town of the dyers. lie had not thought of stopping 
there ; but if he had planned to do so, something that 
he saw would have made him hasten on. It was a 
young woman rushing frantically up and down the 
market place, her clothes half torn off her, shouting, 
screaming, like one possessed. How she threw herself 
upon the ground and bit the very dust, throwing out 
her arms and legs in horrible contortions ; again, she 
leaped to her feet and howled and sang with a voice so 
unearthly that Bar-joses was rooted to the spot with 
horror. 

“ Go away, do not notice her,” said a man near him 


36 


MAGDALA AND TIBERIAS. 


in an awe-struck voice. “ It is Mary, the possessed one. 
Seven devils have taken up their abode in her ; they 
will leave her no peace until they have tortured her to 
death.” 

Shuddering, Bar-joses urged his donkey forward. 
The frightful ravings rang in his ears till long after he 
had passed through the gate and was following the road 
along the base of the cliffs that here came down close to 
the water side. 

Though he felt weak from the terror of what he had 
seen, he was far from foot-weary, and he pressed on to 
Tiberias, the famous new city of Herod, with its splen- 
did palaces and its strong fortress on the overhanging 
precipice, its gardens and pleasure-grounds, its works of 
Greek and Homan art. 

The orphan boy had not been as carefully brought up 
as he would have been if his parents had lived, and the 
sight of the marble statues and golden eagles did not 
fill him with the horror with which they would have in- 
spired his more strictly nurtured play-fellows, taught to 
look upon such things as transgressions of the second 
commandment. Still he did not feel at home here ; it 
all was too new and grand, too different from anything 
he had seen before ; and so he kept on until, a mile out- 
side of the city wall, he came to the famous Baths of 
Tiberias — hot springs to which people resorted from 
all over the world to seek for health. Here, under the 
shelter of a group of stately palm-trees, he fed his 
donkey, ate his mid-day meal, and lay for two or three 
hours in the shade waiting for the noontide heat to pass. 











































* 












































































































WHEIIE THE JORDAN LEAVES THE LAKE. 


ON THE WAY TO THE JORDAN. 


37 


When the sun began to decline toward the cliffs that 
had now closed in upon the road and overhung the 
lake, he went on, meaning to reach Tarichsea, the fish- 
packing town on the point where the Jordan issues 
from the lake, in time to pass the night there. 

As to the length of the journey that lay before him 
he knew nothing. A company of travellers whom he 
had met soon after leaving Capernaum had told him 
that the prophet was moving up the Jordan valley, fol- 
lowed by great crowds of people ; and on reaching Tari- 
chgea he learned that they had come as far north as 
Bethany, at the ford of the Jordan on one of the cara- 
van roads from the east. Bar-joses had already covered 
more than half the distance to this place. The mor- 
row’s noon would bring him to his journey’s end. 

At dawn next morning he was on the way, for he had 
been warned that the heat of the J ordan valley was in- 
tense even in this early spring-time of the year. The 
valley was narrow, shut in by walls of hills on both 
sides, and the river, tumbling along in a deep cleft 
nearly two hundred feet farther down, gave little fresh- 
ness to the air. The trees and flowers were beautiful ; 
in some places the oleanders made a fragrant jungle, 
difficult to force his way through, and then again he 
would come out upon far-reaching cornfields, lovely in 
their early green. The air was full of the songs of 
birds and the tinkling of streamlets, tumbling down the 
hillsides to join the rapid river in the cleft below. 

The road was very populous now, though nearly all 
the people were going in the same direction as himself. 


38 


BETHANY BEYOND JORDAN. 


Sometimes a litter would be borne past him with a 
wealthy Pharisee reclining within. Sometimes a squad 
of soldiers would overtake him with long swinging 
stride. Again it would be a group of publicaus ; and 
sometimes Bar-joses would himself overtake and pass a 
company of Galilean peasants, walking heavily, as those 
do who are used to follow the plow. 

He made such good progress that it was still early 
when the valley widened out, at the same time sloping 
rapidly toward the river-bed ; and in the green plain on 
the farther side he saw hundreds of black hair-cloth 
tents and many booths covered by gaily striped abbas or 
by fading boughs, showing that he had reached his jour- 
ney’s end. He pressed on among the scattered groups 
to where the crowd seemed thickest, around the road 
that led down to the ford. He had crossed the river 
and was already beginning to look about him for James 
and John when he saw some one coming up the valley 
road, at the sight of whom he forgot his young masters, 
his errand, the donkey, and everything else. 

For it was Jesus, the young man who had so often 
been kind to him in Nazareth. Bar-joses started on a 
run to meet him and then suddenly stopped. Jesus 
was somehow different from what he had been. What 
was it ? Why did Bar-joses feel unwilling to run and 
meet him whom he had always so gladly run to meet 
before ? 

Jesus was walking steadily forward looking upward 
toward the sky. In his face it was as if a light were 
shining, not upon him from without, but upon others 


WHAT THE PROPHET SAID. 


39 


from within him — at least it seemed so to Bar-joses. His 
look was joyous, triumphant even, and although he was 
not running, his step had the spring of one who is very 
strong, just setting forth to run a race. 

Though he appeared so strong and so triumphant, it 
seemed to Bar-joses that he looked more kind than even 
he had ever looked before. It was not fear or dread 
that kept the boy from running toward him, but rather 
a feeling that he might not carelessly intrude; that 
Jesus was himself engaged with other things. It was as 
if the tallith covered his head and he were bowed in 
prayer; the youngest child would not have intruded 
upon one thus engaged. 

As Bar-joses stood a little withdrawn from the path, 
gazing upon Jesus as he walked, he heard a voice behind 
him saying in piercing tones, “ Behold the Lamb of 
God ! ” He turned quickly ; at a little distance a man 
was coming up from the river whom Bar-joses recog- 
nized as the prophet. He wore a long hairy robe belted 
in with a leathern thong. His tangled hair hung low 
over his shoulders, his untrimmed beard reached to his 
girdle, his eyes were fiery and his voice was shrill and 
seemed to pierce the ears of those who heard. Several 
people were clustered around him ; from their dress 
Bar-joses knew them to be priests and levites. The eyes 
of all in the group were turned in the direction toward 
which the prophet’s outstretched arm pointed — toward 
Jesus! Some of them repeated his words in tones that 
might be awe and might be horror, “The Lamb of 
God!” 


40 


BETHANY BEYOND JORDAN. 


Bar-joses knew that the prophet must be referring to 
the lambs offered every day for sacrifice in the temple ; 
but why did he point to Jesus? 

The shrill voice of the prophet was raised again. “ This 
is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which 
is become before me ; for he was before me.” At this 
Bar-joses saw that the priests and levites spoke among 
themselves with many gesticulations ; and when he 
turned again to look for Jesns he barely caught a 
glimpse of him disappearing among the crowd. But at 
that moment the prophet spoke once more. “And I 
knew him not ; but that he should be made manifest to 
Israel, for this cause came I baptizing with water.” 
Jesus! the friend whose kindness had been the one 
bright spot in Bar-joses’s life since his mother died : was 
it of him that the prophet had all this time been teach- 
ing ? What was this that he was saying ? 

“I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of 
heaven ; and it abode upon him. And I knew him 
not, but He that sent me to baptize with water, He said 
unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit 
descending and abiding upon him, the same is he that 
baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and 
have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” 

At these words a sudden agitation broke out among 
the priests and levites that surrounded the prophet, and 
Bar-joses, bewildered and confused, hardly knew whether 
he had heard aright or not. He retreated hastily before 
the group, that had now reached the very place where 
he was standing, and then suddenly he remembered his 


41 


“THE son of god.” 

donkey — where had he left it ? In terror he started to 
run back, and it was with great relief that he saw one of 
his young masters coming toward him leading the beast 
by the bridle. 

“You here, Bar-joses?” John said; “I recognized 
our old donkey, but could not dream how he had come 
here. You bring us news and good gifts from home: 
come to our tent and tell us all about it. How go on 
things in dear old Capernaum ? ” 

It was impossible for Bar-joses to speak of what he 
had seen and heard, especially as John evidently knew 
nothing of what had taken place. He followed his 
young master to the tent occupied by the two pairs of 
brothers and answered all their eager questions. But 
that night, when all was quiet and he lay wrapped in 
his striped abbas under the starry sky, he saw again the 
radiant face of Jesus; he heard again the prophet’s 
ringing words, “ This is the Son of God ! ” and his 
whole heart went out to that dear friend in a love that 
was very confused, very perplexed, almost terrified, and 
yet so true and strong that it made life seem a new thing 
to the orphan boy of Nazareth. 


CHAPTER VI. 


HOW THE LORD MADE THE FISHERMEN HIS FRIENDS AND 
THE BOY HIS SERVANT. 

John too had heard somethiDg before he went to 
bed, a vague rumor that excited while it perplexed him. 
His prophet master, the Baptist, to whom with fervor 
he had attached himself, had announced something. 
What was it ? That the Messiah had come ? That the 
Judge was at the door ? That the King of Israel had 
appeared? And all this multitude had gone serenely 
to sleep as if the great and terrible day of the Lord 
were not immediately to dawn ! 

And yet, John reflected with a new perplexity, the 
Baptist had not of late said anything about that terrible 
day. When he had first heard him, on his way home 
from Jerusalem, the prophet’s sermons had been full of 
impassioned warnings — how the threshing floor was to 
be thoroughly cleansed and the worthless trees cut off at 
the root and the ungodly baptized with unquenchable 
fire. But since he had joined the prophet the second 
time his teachings had all been about the baptism of the 
Holy Spirit that the repentant were to receive, and the 
surpassing worthiness of the Lord’s Anointed ; how the 
Baptist himself was nothing but the slave running be- 
fore the Messiah’s chariot to see that all hindrances were 
( 42 ) 


WIIAT WOULD THE MESSIAH BE LIKE? 43 


kept out of the way, not worthy to hold any office that 
would bring him near the person of the Messiah, not 
even to unloose his sandals. And as John, lying in 
his tent in the darkness of the night, recalled these 
words to mind, his heart swelled with the desire to be 
worthy to serve one so august, yet so beneficent, the 
King who could bestow upon his loyal subjects the 
baptism of the Holy Spirit ! 

All the next day John tried to speak to the prophet 
of the thoughts that came into his heart, but there was 
no opportunity, so eagerly did the people throng about 
him to hear his words, to confess their sins and to re- 
ceive baptismal purification. The priests and levites 
had gone back to Jerusalem ; they were not satisfied with 
the announcement the Baptist had made to them. A 
Messiah who merely took away sin, who did not purpose 
to be their captain and champion in throwing off the 
yoke of Rome and subduing the whole world to the rule 
of Israel, could not, they persuaded themselves, be the 
true Messiah. So they had gone their way without even 
attempting to see the young man whom the prophet had 
pointed out, and who had not again appeared among 
them. 

Hot till four o’clock that afternoon did John find an 
opportunity to speak to the prophet. The people had all 
been baptized for that day. The Baptist had drawn a 
little apart, John and Andrew had joined him, and 
John had begun to ask his eager questions, when the 
prophet checked him. Raising his hand and point- 
ing to some one who was walking alone at a little 


44 


BETHANY BEYOND JORDAN. 


distance, he said in a solemn tone, “ Behold the Lamb 
of God!” 

Thrilled to his very heart, John followed with his 
gaze the one thus pointed out, and as he looked his heart 
went out to the stranger in a great leap of love. An- 
drew too had looked, and as if with one accord, with- 
out replying to the Baptist or speaking to one another, 
the two young men began to move toward the stranger. 
Their pulses throbbed with joy when he who so myste- 
riously attracted them stood still and waited until they 
came up. 

As they drew near he spoke, “ What are you seeking ? ” 

The tone encouraged them to answer, but it was not 
the tone of his voice alone that made their reply what it 
was: rather it was the expression of his eyes as he 
looked on them. Little Janna had often seen that look, 
and though he did not understand it, he understood 
Jesus better for having seen it. Bar-joses had often 
seen it, and it had given the neglected boy a sense of 
friendship and fellowship that had kept him from yield- 
ing to the coarse temptations that had come to him 
in his hard life. Mary had seen it again and again, 
and it had lifted up her soul into a presence unspeak- 
ably glorious which yet she could not understand. And 
now John and Andrew saw it, and their souls were knit 
to his by a bond that could never be broken. 

With one accord they asked him, “ Master, where are 
you staying ? ” 

Their one desire was to be with him, to hear him 
speak, to give their lives to him in perpetual allegiance. 


JOHN WITH JESUS. 


45 


And his answer met that desire in all its fullness. His 
words, “ Come and see,” were to them an open door by 
which they might enter into and become a part of his 
life. 

John never forgot the hours he spent at Jesus’ side 
in the green booth a little apart from the sheltering 
places of the great multitude. What youth of eighteen 
but would long for such a privilege ? To be permitted 
in the very opening of manhood to enter into the 
friendship of one so strong, so sweet, so flawlessly 
pure, so full of joy and courage, as Jesus of Nazareth ! 
It was an experience so marvelous that he could never 
speak of it. Never to any human being did John repeat 
the conversation of that first hour with Jesus, while An- 
drew was seeking his brother Simon among the great 
company and bringing him to Jesus. 

Bar-joses had all day been lounging in the neighbor- 
hood of the place where he had seen his friend, hoping 
for another sight, perhaps a word from him. He had 
delivered to John and James, Simon and Andrew, all 
the messages with which Salome and Zebedee had 
charged him, and had received from them many mes- 
sages in reply. After one day of rest it would be his 
duty to return to Capernaum and to Js work, and 
James, disturbed by the thought of the * urden his father 
was bearing alone, had decided to return with him. 
But Bar-joses felt that he could not go without one word 
from Jesus. So all day, instead of resting as he was 
supposed to do, he was wandering about among the 
tents, boy like, using his eyes and ears but asking no 


46 


BETHANY BEYOND JOKDAN. 


questions of strangers since lie felt tliat they knew 
less than he did about the matter, but determined not to 
go away until he had again seen Jesus. 

And shortly after noon he had his wish. He caught 
a glimpse of the figure of one withdrawn from the mul- 
titude under the shade of a great sycamore tree, wrapped 
in his tallith, and yet not so concealed but that he could 
be recognized by one who loved him. The boy well 
knew that Jesus was in prayer, although his position 
was not the bent attitude of the devout Jew ; on the 
contrary, he stood upright with his face upraised to 
heaven, and even at the distance which in reverence the 
boy kept between himself and Jesus, Bar-joses could see 
that he was not bowed under the weight of contrition 
or the burden of sorrow or of need, but that his soul 
was soaring upward in joyous communion with God. 
The boy kept his distance until the prayer was ended, 
and then his heart leaped for joy, for Jesus turned to- 
ward him and held out a hand of invitation. 

So he had his hour of conversation with the friend he 
loved best on earth, giving him such news as he had of 
Mary and of Nazareth, telling him of his own new 
duties, pouring out all the loneliness and the perplexity 
of his heart ; and when at length their talk was over 
the boy went away with an indescribable joy in his soul. 
For Jesus had taken him for his servant, although the 
work that he had given him to do was to go back to 
Capernaum to the duties to which he was already 
pledged. But oh, how different would that work be in 
future since Jesus had told him that he would be serv- 


BAR-JOSES AND HIS MASTER. 


47 


ing him in doing it ! It seemed to Bar-joses that new 
strength had been given him to resist temptation, new 
delight in the performance of homely duty, a new sense 
of fellowship with those about him. He no longer felt 
lonely and orphaned. Was not Jesus his friend as well 
as his master ? and did not that friendship seem like a 
bond uniting him with every one else ? For it was not 
with jealousy but with joy that he realized that he was 
not alone in the service of this strong friend ; that all 
lonely boys, yes, and all happy ones, were dear to him ; 
that his great heart of love embraced them all and made 
them every one friends one of another. 


CHAPTER VII. 


HOW THE LORD MINISTERED TO HIS MOTHER AT THE 
WEDDING FEAST. 

The little house in Nazareth was closed, for Mary, 
the mother of Jesus, had gone, accompanied by her 
four younger sons, to Cana to superintend the wedding 
of her niece, the daughter of Clopas, whose brother her 
husband Joseph had been. A stately and solemn occa- 
sion it was, although a time of great festivity, for no de- 
vout Jewish man or maid ever entered upon the mar- 
riage state without remembering that it was the type of 
the union between Jehovah and His people, as the pro- 
phets had many times taught. And therefore Rachel, 
the bride, and Simon, the bridegroom, had fasted and 
confessed their sins in preparation for their marriage. 
Then had come the eventful evening when the gay pro- 
cession, with torches and garlands, with music and the 
distribution of simple gifts to the neighbors and to the 
children along the roadside, had escorted the veiled 
bride to the home of her bridegroom, with loud exclama- 
tions in praise of her beauty and virtues. There, when 
the words had been spoken that bound them to one an- 
other and the hands of all the guests had been washed 
and the prayer said over the bridal cup, the marriage 
(48) 


THE MARRIAGE FEAST. 


49 


supper had begun. It was a joyous festival and would 
last for three whole days. 

Mary was in charge of the hospitalities, that her 
friend, the mother of the bridegroom, might be free from 
household care. These were simple people who in ordi- 
nary times kept no servant ; but on this occasion Mary 
had the help of a group of young relatives and friends 
who, according to custom, had offered their services as 
deacons or friendly ministrants. James and Jonas and 
Judas and Simon, Mary’s four younger sons, were 
among them, and a few other young people living in the 
village. 

Mary’s heart was full of a joy that had nothing to do 
with the wedding. For on the very day of the mar- 
riage her son Jesus had returned to her. He came ac- 
companied by five young friends, in the youngest of 
whom, John, Mary to her delight had recognized her 
own nephew, the son of her sister Salome. The others 
were Simon and Andrew, who were partners of John 
and his father and brother, a young man named Philip 
from Bethsaida, the native place of Simon and Andrew, 
and Nathanael, the son of Talmai, whose home was in 
Cana. 

All these young men had been invited to the wedding 
in honor of Jesus, the kinsman of the bride. John was 
full of interest in the wedding festivities, so different in 
their village simplicity from anything he had ever seen 
in Capernaum ; but his chief interest was not in the wed- 
ding, it was in the mother of Jesus. Something of the 
rapturous affection he felt for him whom he had chosen 


50 


CANA OF GALILEE. 


for his master he gave to the woman whose supreme bless- 
edness it was to be the mother of such a man as Jesus. 
But this was not all. John was drawn to her for her 
own sake : that gentle dignity, that look of sweet sur- 
prise, which since Jesus had parted from her two months 
before had begun to take on a veil of patient sorrow, 
had quite won his heart ; and besides, it seemed to him 
that whenever her eyes rested on her eldest son she was 
moved with a sort of awed expectation. John thought 
he understood what it meant, and that made him feel as 
if they had a secret together. And so in all the pauses 
of the festivities of these three days John would seek 
for Mary and lead her aside for an hour of conversa- 
tion. 

Of course their talk was all of Jesus. Mary was 
never tired of telling nor John of hearing the events of 
his quiet life — events indeed they could hardly be called, 
his life had been so quiet all these years ; but she loved 
to tell how good he was, how unlike other young men ; 
how pious, how studious, how thoughtful, yet how de- 
voted to her ; how ready to toil for her and his brothers 
and sisters since their father died, and yet how full of 
interest in the welfare of every one about him. She 
told him, too, of how he loved little children, and how, 
wherever he went, there was always a train of them fol- 
lowing him or clustering around him when he sat down, 
to hear the lovely stories that he told. But most of all 
she loved to dwell on what he was to her ; how there 
had never been a care or an anxiety that did not lose its 
weight or its sting when she carried it to him. And 


MARY LEARNS WHAT THE BAPTIST SAID. 51 


while she spoke there was always that look in her eyes 
as if she saw still more in him that she could never "put 
into words. 

And John had his story to tell to Mary ; the mysteri- 
ous, wonderful story of the Baptist’s announcement — 
the Lamb of God ; the Son of God. And when he 
talked of this her eyes would grow deeper and a light 
would come into them that John could not find the 
meaning of. 

So they were sitting and talking on the afternoon of 
the third day of the marriage feast when one of Mary’s 
younger sons came to ask her for more wine. 

“ But there is no more,” said Mary with an air of 
some perplexity. “ I did not know that the children of 
the bride-chamber were to be so many,” she added in a 
lower voice, drawing her son apart that J ohn might not 
hear ; for it was the unexpected addition of himself and 
four friends to the number of the wedding guests — “ the 
children of the bride chamber ” — that had made the fru- 
gal store of wine run short. 

John did not hear her last words, but he watched her 
as she went to the door and looked into the banqueting 
room. A few days before she had herself adorned it 
with all the taste that her resources allowed, and the 
seemly revelry of the guests had not disturbed its 
modest order. But Mary was not looking at the decora- 
tions, but at her son Jesus, who was sitting in the midst 
of the guests, the very life of the company ; for this 
was a simple-hearted company, not given to boisterous 
mirth. So strong was the attraction he exerted, as John 


52 


CANA OF GALILEE. 


saw, that even the empty wine-cups were for the mo- 
ment unnoticed ; but the young attendants had retreated 
to a corner and looked anxious and confused. 

John observed that Jesus at once saw the trouble in 
his mother’s face, and that he withdrew easily and 
naturally from the other guests and came to her in the 
outer room. Then he heard Mary say to Jesus in a 
tone that was not a request, and yet seemed confident of 
an answer, u They have no wine.” A quick change 
came over Jesus’ face, a look glad and tender and yet 
sad, as he took her hands in his and said gently, 
“ What to me and thee, woman ? My hour is not yet 
come.” 

Never, John thought, had he heard a word that 
thrilled through him like that word “woman,” pro- 
nounced with such sweet tenderness, yet in a tone that 
seemed to vibrate between love and pain. John did not 
understand the meaning of Jesus’ words, nor could he 
understand the answering look on Mary’s face, with its 
quick changes, first of love and then of bewilderment, 
and then of a grand heroism, as she withdrew her hands 
from those of her son, and turning to the young attend- 
ants who had now gathered around her in mute appeal, 
said to them calmly, “ Whatever he says to you, do it.” 

She came back quietly and took her seat beside John, 
but he watched eagerly to see what Jesus would do. In 
the outer gallery stood, according to custom, six large 
water-jars, placed there for the convenience of those 
who wanted to wash their hands or the plates and gob- 
lets used at the feast. At this late hour they stood 


JESUS HELPS HIS MOTHER. 


53 


empty, and Jesus simply gave the direction, “ Fill the 
water-pots with water.” 

There was no time to lose, for already the guests, re- 
called to their feasting by the absence of Jesus, upon 
whose words they had been hanging, were looking from 
their empty goblets to the disturbed countenance of the 
master of ceremonies. Lifting up the jars, the young 
people hastily bore them to the fountain at the entrance 
of the village. While they were gone Jesus stood upon 
the gallery, deep in thought, but John turned and looked 
in Mary’s face. 

“ You did not understand,” she said, “ but I under- 
stood. Was it not you yourself who brought me word 
that the Baptist has announced him as the Messiah, that 
even your own companion, Andrew, recognized he must 
be the Messiah, and that Nathanael saw that he was in- 
deed King of Israel and the Son of God ? ” She paused 
and looked upward, and the look of sweet surprise that 
always rested on her face grew deeper and holier. 

Then she turned again to John, with a heavenly light 
upon her face. “ Did I not know then that his hour was 
near at hand, the hour wdien he must enter upon his 
glorious work ? And do I not know that that hour must 
take him from me ? 

“ All his dear life,” she went on in a low tone of rap- 
ture, “ for thirty sweet years it has been 4 me and thee,’ 
‘ me and thee,’ between my Jesus and me. There has 
been no thought, no hope, no trial, no doubt that we 
have not shared. He has indeed gone far beyond me in 
knowledge and in depth of thought ; but he has never 


54 


CANA OF GALILEE. 


separated himself from me. He has done everything 
for me, and I have done everything for him — ‘ me and 
thee 5 always. The hour has not yet come when it must 
be so no longer, but it is very near; once more — but 
this, I know, must be the last time — he has shared my 
care and taken upon himself my burden. Yes, I know 
this is the last time. He may not be at my service any 
more, for he has his own work to do. And I can never 
help him any more, except by letting him go free from 
the tie that has bound us so close and has been so dear. 
This last time 1 have gone to him for help, and he will 
help me, though I do not yet know how. But see ! ” 

She pointed to the door. The six young people had 
returned with their water-jars filled to the very brim 
with the sparkling water of the fountain ; they had set 
them down in their places, and John heard Jesus say : 
66 Draw out now and bear to the master of the feast.” 
And as they passed along bearing their brimming gob- 
lets, the mother and the friend of Jesus looked at one 
another in stunned amazement, for that which sparkled 
in the goblets was red wine. And as they looked at 
Jesus still standing on the gallery, rapt in thought, a 
great glory seemed to shine about him, not visible in- 
deed to other eyes, but evident to those two to whom 
his glory had just been manifested. It seemed to them as 
if the Shekinah of the wilderness tabernacle, the very 
glory of God, were shining before their eyes. 

With awe and rapture they beckoned to the four other 
friends of Jesus and told them all the story. It was too 
sacred to be made common property ; even the young 


THE GXOKY OF JESUS. 


55 


attendants who had drawn the water felt that something 
sealed their lips. But his five disciples had now a new 
view of the Messiah. Already they began to see that 
the power by which he was to conquer the kingdom was 
different from the power of other conquering kings. 

And to the mother there was joy in the midst of pain. 
For her son, with matchless consideration, had associ- 
ated her in his first act of service to the world, making 
it his last act of service to her. Though the hour of his 
life-work had not yet come, yet for her help he had put 
forth the power that was his for that work. This even- 
ing’s mysterious experience became a never-failing foun- 
tain of strength to Mary, sustaining her in the coming 
years in which, as a prophet had foretold, the sword of 
an unimaginable sorrow was to pierce her heart. 


CHAPTEK VIII. 


HOW ANTIPAS, THE SON OF CHUZA, FIRST SAW THE LORD. 

A mother and son were sitting in the alcove of a pro- 
jecting window that almost overhung the Lake of Gali- 
lee. The spacious room showed every sign of wealth — 
rich rugs lay on the tiled floor, the divan that ran round 
the wall was beautifully draped with eastern stuffs, the 
richly carved stools, tables, and sofas were of costliest 
wood, and everything spoke not only of luxury but of 
refinement. 

The boy knelt upon the divan, looking out of the 
window. He was about twelve years old, and was 
dressed from head to foot in fine white linen ; but the 
tallith that lay beside him was bordered with blue, and 
the white head-clotli near it had fastening cords of yellow 
silk. The mother was a woman of very noble counte- 
nance. She wore a robe of rich eastern silk, her girdle 
was studded with precious stones, her hair was covered 
with a pointed cap of transparent texture, a silk scarf 
was wound around it and knotted in the back, with the 
ends hanging to her girdle. Heavy gold earrings were 
in her ears, a jewelled necklace clasped her throat, and 
there were golden bracelets on her white arms ; her feet 
were encased in richly embroidered slippers, and every 
movement she made wafted delicate perfumes upon the 
( 56 ) 


TO GO TO JERUSALEM ! 


57 


air. She lay back upon her cushions, idly fanning her- 
self with a fan of gorgeous feathers, her eyes fixed upon 
her son, who in his turn was gazing out upon the lake, 
now and then uttering an exclamation as a fish leaped 
from the water or a kingfisher, swooping down, dived 
into the very depths and brought up his prey. 

“ I have some news for you, Antipas,” his mother said 
at length. The boy looked eagerly around. “ Your 
father says you may go up with us to the Passover.” 

“To Jerusalem!” exclaimed Antipas, springing to 
her side and twining his arms round her. “ O mother, 
how good you are ! ” 

The door opened and a man of dignified demeanor 
entered. His long inner garment was of purple, and 
his mantle was inwrought with gold ; around his neck, 
suspended by a fine gold chain, hung a large seal ring ; 
altogether his appearance was imposing, as became Chuza, 
the head of the household of Herod, Tetrarch of Galilee. 
But in his dignity was no sternness that would repel his 
son, and the boy ran to him crying, “ O father, father, 
mother says that I am to go to Jerusalem ! ” 

“So you have told him, Joanna,” said the father, 
seating himself in a corner of the wide window. “ Yes, 
my son, it gives me pleasure to say that this is for a re- 
ward. You have been diligent in your studies, your 
teacher tells me, have especially made good progress, 
not only in reading the Greek authors but also in 
Latin, a language I am very anxious that you should be 
proficient in. In short, you have shown yourself so 
serious and capable that, though it still wants a year be- 


58 


CHUZA’S PALACE, CAPERNAUM. 


fore you will be bound to tlie commandments, there is 
no reason why we should not follow the custom where 
boys are more than usually thoughtful, and permit 
you to make a preliminary visit to the Holy City 
and the temple before you actually become a son of the 
law.” 

“And when,” asked the boy with sparkling eyes, 

“ when shall we set out ? ” 

“To-morrow,” replied the father with the loving 
smile of one whose heart is bound up in his son ; “ to- 
morrow a caravan sets forth and we are to join it. 
Everything is already prepared for our departure. Your 
new litter has come home, my love,” he added, turning 
to his wife ; “ the cushions seem to be remarkably soft 
and all the trappings very fine. And now, Antipas, 
my son, if you will come to the court you shall see what 
arrangement I have made for your journey. Will you 
come too, Joanna?” he added, holding out his hand to 
assist his wife to rise. 

Down the broad marble staircase and through a wide 
hall where many servants waited, both bond and free, 
they went out into an inner court, gorgeous with tropi- 
cal plants and cool with plashing fountains, and passed ■ 
through it to the great court of Chuza’s palace, where 
retainers of all sorts were occupied with preparations for 
the proposed journey. Under a spreading tree stood an 
Arab, in striped mantle and red fez, holding by the 
bridle a beautiful little white Arabian horse. 

“ This is for you, my son,” said the father, smiling at 
the dumb amazement of the boy. “ Come, mount, and 


THE ARABIAN HORSE. 


59 


let me see how well you have profited by your lessons 
at the riding-school.” 

The boy caught his father’s hand and kissed it, rushed 
to throw his arms around his mother as she .stood smil- 
ing at a little distance, and then, taking the bridle from 
the Arab’s hand, vaulted upon the horse’s back without 
touching the stirrup. 

“Well done, my Anti pas!” exclaimed the delighted 
father. “ Surely never boy better deserved a horse of 
his own.” 

A few turns around the court showed that the boy 
was really a skilled rider for his years ; the servants all 
joined in applause as he put his new horse through his 
paces. 

“ That will do,” said his father at last, as Antipas 
cantered up beside him with shining eyes and glowing 
cheeks, “ this is enough for to-day ; you and your horse 
know one another now. What do you say, Joanna, to 
taking a breath of air upon the lake while the sun goes 
down \ ” 

A gay little sail-boat was moored before the house, 
with two men waiting for orders. The lake was alive 
with pleasure boats, for all the better class of citizens 
were taking the air at this hour ; and although it was not 
the best time for fishing, there were also here and there 
the heavier shapes of fishing craft with their coarse red 
or brown sails. One of these attracted the attention of 
Antipas, as for a few moments it moved close alongside 
Chuza’s dainty pleasure boat. 

It was Jesus who was sitting in the stern of the boat, 


60 


THE LAKE OF GALILEE. 


with little Janna on his knee. Beside him sat John, 
holding the tiller ; James and Andrew were only a lit- 
tle distance removed, and Bar-joses was crouching in 
the bottom of the boat. The eyes of all of them were 
fixed on Jesus, and it was the expression of love with 
which they looked at him that first attracted Antipas. 
But having looked at Jesus, he forgot all the others, 
for there was in the countenance of this unknown 
man a look of noble rapture, of unutterable joy, such as 
the boy had never dreamed of before. He touched his 
mother’s hand and pointed to the fisher boat. His fa- 
ther saw the action and followed its direction, as their 
own vessel, suddenly altering its course through some 
manoeuvre of the sailors, glided rapidly past. 

“ That is a remarkable countenance,” Chuza observed 
to his wife, turning his head to look behind. “ That 
young man has a future before him.” 

Nothing more was said, but as they approached the 
quay before Chuza’s palace they saw the fishing boat 
come alongside. A boy leaped ashore, a basket of fish 
upon his arm, and went into the court. The fishing 
boat put out a little to permit the others to land, and as 
they approached the gate into the court they met the 
boy coming out. 

“ Tell me,” said Antipas, eagerly stopping him, “ who 
is that in the boat ? ” 

“ My master,” replied the boy proudly. 

“ Do you work for him ? ” asked Antipas. 

“ No,” said Bar-joses, “ I work for old Zebedee, the 


ANTIPAS DREAMS OF JESUS. 


61 


fisherman. I have just brought a basket of the fish 
with which he daily serves this house.” 

“ Then why do you call that man your master ? ” per- 
sisted Antipas. 

Bar-joses hesitated for a moment, then his eyes soft- 
ened. 

“ Because whatever I do is for love of him,” he said, 
and ran down to the quay. 

That night when Antipas went to sleep his dreams 
were not of the white Arabian horse, but of the young 
man with the joyful eyes, whom the fisher boy loved. 


CHAPTER IX. 


HOW ANTIPAS AGAIN SAW THE LORD. 

The Passover journey was a marvelous experience to 
Antipas. Since his earliest childhood he had heard it 
described by his mother, his nurse, and the old bond 
servant, Myrza, who had served his father’s father, and 
for love of his master had had his ear bored that he 
might serve no other master but him and his children. 
Since his earliest childhood Antipas had loved to picture 
what the journey would be like, but never in his happi- 
est dreams had he come near to the reality. 

To be one of the great company, ever swelling as the 
close-clustering Galilean villages one by one added its 
quota ; to hear all the air ringing with the bursts of joy- 
ous music from drum and timbrel and flute, and the 
singing of the Hallel by hundreds of rapturous voices; 
to see the picturesque groups of people ; the gaily-cur- 
tained litters and gilded chariots; the horsemen with 
their rich trappings and proud-stepping steeds; the 
camels and donkeys with their burdens of women and 
children and aged men ; the long procession of people 
on foot in all the bright colors of holiday attire — all this 
was intensely interesting to Antipas. But the thing that 
impressed him most deeply was something that he had 
never thought of until old Myrza spoke of it at their first 
( 62 ) 


THE EDUCATION OF A NOBLEMAN^ SON. 63 


halting-place — the fact that all these people had only one 
thought, one purpose, to go up to the Holy City to wor- 
ship God. This fact profoundly impressed the boy. 

Anti pas had been taught all that the law required a 
boy of his age to know about religion, but his parents 
were not occupied with religious thoughts as were the 
family of Zebedee and the humble, pious circle which 
had gathered around the home of Jesus in Nazareth. 
They belonged to the court, and of necessity mixed 
much with a worldly class and with many who were 
not Jews at all. From all such associations they had 
carefully kept their son, but he had not grown up in a 
religious atmosphere, and now that for the first time he 
found himself in surroundings where religious tilings 
were the one subject of interest, it affected him deeply. 

They travelled by way of Jezreel and Sychar — a w T ay 
almost every foot of which is full of history. Hiding 
sometimes in company with his father, sometimes beside 
his mother’s litter, he heard all the well-known stories 
of ancient Israel retold in the very scenes where they 
had taken place. 

Mount Tabor brought up the brave story of how Ba- 
rak charged the hosts of Sisera while God in heaven 
fought for him, sending a great rain, so that 

* Torrent Kishon swept them away, 

Torrent of floods, torrent Kishon, 

as the Canaanites fled westward to that narrow gorge 
where long afterwards Elijah slew the prophets of Baal. 

* George Adam Smith’s Translation. 


64 


SAMARIA AND JUDEA. 


Then there was Shunem, where the prophet Elisha gave 
back to the bereaved mother her only son — Joanna’s 
voice grew very tender as she told that story ; Gilboa, 
where Saul and Jonathan were slain; Shiloh, where 
stood the tabernacle, and where old Eli, heavy-hearted, 
waited by the gate for tidings of the ark of God ; and 
Bethel, which Jacob found to be the very gate of 
heaven. At the sight of all these places his nation’s 
history became more vivid to the boy, and his heart 
swelled with pride at the thought that, in spite of Idu- 
mean tetrarch and Homan emperor, Israel was still the 
peculiar people of God. 

It was after noon on the third day, as they were faring 
up the long ascent that stretches southward from Bethel, 
when Antipas, riding beside his mother’s litter, caught 
his first glimpse of Jerusalem, looming up in the dim 
distance like a phantom city in the clouds. A few mo- 
ments later, and as its outlines became more distinct, 
the great company of pilgrims burst into songs of joy. 

“ Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem 1 
Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, 

Is Mount Zion, on the side of the north, 

The city of the great King. 

God hath made himself known in her palaces for a 
refuge,” 

they sang. Intense excitement took possession of the 
boy; he longed to press forward, to stand himself 
within the gates of the Holy City. Half-unconsciously 
he urged his horse forward, his eyes so fixed upon the 
lovely vision that he noticed nothing of where he was 


ANTI PAS SEES JESUS AGAIN. 


65 


going till, suddenly coming to himself, he observed 
that he had far outstripped the rest of his party. 
Drawing a little apart, he was gazing down the road by 
which he had come, in search of them, when he heard a 
voice at his side saying : 

“ Master, will the judgment of Israel begin at this 
feast-time \ ” 

Turning quickly, Antipas saw a group of young men 
gazing toward Jerusalem. In their midst was a woman 
who might have been their mother — a woman of a beau- 
tiful countenance, though weary now perhaps from the 
journey. She, however, was not looking toward Jeru- 
salem ; her eyes were lifted with an expression of in- 
tense expectation to the face of a young man on whose 
arm she leaned ; and as Antipas followed the direction 
of her gaze he saw to his surprise the face that he had 
seen in the fishing boat on the Lake of Galilee — that 
wonderful face with its expression of love and joy and 
power. Only now there was a look of mild reproof in 
his eyes as he turned to the youth who had asked the 
question and said in a voice, the music of which came 
back to Antipas’s memory many times after this : 

“ The Father sent not His Son into the world to con- 
demn the world, but that the world might through Him 
be saved.” 

The group had already moved forward. Antipas saw 
his father riding rapidly up the hill, looking about in 
search of him, and he hastened to meet him. And then 
as they rode forward his mind became absorbed in the 
glory and beauty of the Holy City, as by degrees he 


66 


JERUSALEM. 


could distinguish the towers and palaces sitting proudly 
upon her various hills, and most glorious of all, the tem- 
ple, high on its rocky mount, a glittering mass of mar- 
ble and gold. 

As they entered the city and threaded its marble- 
paved streets on the way to the palace of Joanna’s un- 
cle Nicodemus, on Mount Zion, Antipas was much in- 
terested in observing the people in the varied dresses of 
many nations, for at the Passover time the Jews who 
were dispersed through all the countries of the world 
came in great multitudes to worship the Lord at Jeru- 
salem. Every house was open to Passover pilgrims, and 
Antipas noticed that before many doors was hanging a 
curtain, which his father explained to him was a token 
that there was still room and a welcome for strangers. 
But in that lovely spring weather, with its glorious 
Passover full moon, very many preferred the greater 
freedom of the open air, and the streets and open places 
were tilled with booths hastily made of mats and leaves, 
while preparations for the evening meal were going 
merrily forward on braziers or bonfires. 

The next day, while Chuza was occupied with the 
purification necessary before he could partake of the 
Paschal meal, Antipas, who as yet was not under the 
yoke of the law, was taken by his great-uncle Nico- 
demus to the temple, which from the roof of Nicode- 
mus’s house he could see rising up like a majestic island 
from among a sea of palaces, towers, and trees that en- 
circled it. They went by way of that “ ascent into the 
house of God ” that had made the Queen of Sheba faint 


ANTIPAS VISITS THE TEMPLE. 


67 


with admiration a thousand years before — the magnifi- 
cent bridge that spans the deep Tyropsean Valley. 
Leaning over its parapet they could see the close-built 
houses and gardens more than two hundred feet below. 
Tne bridge led into the Royal Porch, one of the superb 
porticos that surround the vast temple enclosure, and 
through the cloisters formed by four rows of stately 
cLiumns they entered the vast Court of the Gentiles, 
the outer court of the temple, in which there was room 
for two hundred thousand people. But to Antipas it 
did not seem imposing ; with all its splendor of marble 
and gold it appeared rather like a great market-place, 
for hundreds of oxen and sheep were there, and men 
around them bargaining and buying ; other men were 
hawking doves from wicker baskets, and all along the 
porticos were little tables where money-changers were 
exchanging the half-shekel of the sanctuary for the for- 
eign coins of the visitors from abroad. The heat, the 
foul odors, the noises, lowing, bleating, cooing, with the 
shrill voices of chafferers and money-changers, entirely 
destroyed the feeling of awe with which the boy had 
approached the holy and beautiful house. He looked 
at his great-uncle in distress. 

“ It is pity, I know,” said Nicodemus, “ but after all 
it is a great convenience, especially to those who come 
from a far distance, whose foreign money, stamped with 
the idolatrous effigies of kings or emperors, may not be 
given for the temple tax, and who must needs make cer- 
tain that the beasts they purchase for the sacrifice are 
ceremonially clean. But it is none the better because the 


68 


JERUSALEM. 


priests derive great profit from the sale of this privilege,” 
he added as if to himself. 

They made their way through the noisy scene and up 
a flight of steps through “ The Beautiful Gate ” that led 
into the large inner court beyond which no woman 
might go. The court was full of people, but it was very 
quiet, and once more the boy’s heart grew reverent as 
his uncle led him across the pavement and up the steps 
that led into the long, narrow Court of Israel. From 
here they could plainly see the court of the priests, with 
its great altar of unhewn stones, from which the smoke 
of sacrifice rose morning after morning and evening 
after evening, and upon which on the morrow no fewer 
than one hundred and twenty thousand lambs would be 
offered. And beyond, on a higher terrace, was the 
temple itself, the holy place of the Most High, a build- 
ing of surpassing magnificence and beauty. The soul of 
Antipas came into his eyes as he gazed upon it in awe. 

Going back to the Court of the Women, Nicodemus 
led the boy through one of its gates that led out upon 
a terrace commanding a wide view of the surrounding 
country, passing along to that part of it where during the 
feast days the members of the high court, the Sanhedrin, 
sat to answer the questions of any who might wish to 
ask them of matters of the law. 

Many of the venerable men there were so famous for 
learning, and especially for piety, that even Antipas had 
heard their names in far-off Galilee ; but after listening 
a little to their discourse he found it tedious, and was 
glad when his uncle led him away. “ I don’t suppose 
































































































































JESUS IN THE TEMPLE 









A MARVELOUS BOY. 


69 


Pm old enough to understand them jet,” he said, half 
apologetically, as they walked along the terrace toward 
the Beautiful Gate. 

“No,” replied Nicodemus, “it is not interesting to 
boys like you; and yet,” he added musingly, “I re- 
member one boy who found it so interesting that he 
came day after day.” 

Nicodemus stood still, looking away into the distance, 
until the curiosity of Antipas was aroused to say, “ Who 
was it, uncle ? ” 

“ It was long ago,” replied the old man, seating him- 
self upon a stone bench and beckoning to Antipas to 
seat himself beside him, “ long ago, and yet I remember 
it as if it were yesterday. A marvelous child, not older 
than you, Antipas, who, during a Paschal season, came 
day after day to the terrace where we sat, listening to 
what we said with an interest that was startling, and 
sometimes putting a question that showed a knowledge 
of the Scriptures and a depth of thought that were more 
startling still. I have often wondered what became of 
him ; surely he was born for no common lot.” 

u What was he like ? ” asked Antipas with interest. 

“ He was a boy of beautiful countenance,” replied his 
uncle, “ sturdy and strong, yet with a look of wondrous 
innocence upon his face, like a little child who knows 
nothing of evil. And there was about him an air of 
divine surprise,” the old man went on musingly. “ I 
never saw it in any other face, but I could fancy that so 
young Jacob looked when he had seen the angels going 
up and down the ladder of God, or Daniel when the 


70 


JERUSALEM. 


Archangel Gabriel, being caused to fly swiftly, touched 
him about the time of the evening oblation.” 

“ Have you ever seen him since, uncle ? ” asked the 
boy. 

“ Hever ; though I have often looked for him. He 
must be a full-grown man now, for it was nearly a score 
of years ago ; yet I am sure I should know him if I saw 
him, for never was there such a look in any other boy’s 
face. He seemed so full of joy, Antipas, a joy that was 
not playfulness, such as other boys have — you, for in- 
stance, my son — but as if he had a fountain of happiness 
within himself.” 

Suddenly, Antipas could not have told why, a vision 
passed before him of another face that he had lately 
seen, a face that bore upon it the sign of a deep inward 
joy. “ What became of the boy, Uncle Nicodemus ? ” 
he asked. 

“ A strange thing happened : when he had been coming 
several days a man and woman appeared in great agita- 
tion, and exclaimed that they had been seeking for him 
everywhere in deep anxiety. I shall never forget the 
look of grave surprise that came into his face, nor the 
tone in which he asked, ‘ How is it that you sought me ? 
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house ? ’ 
6 His Father’s house ! ’ Doubtless Jehovah is our Father, 
and it seemed to me no strange thing that that brave, 
joyous boy should feel himself especially akin to Him. 
Ah, well, it would be interesting to know what has be- 
come of him. It seemed to me he was likely to make 
his mark in the world.” And Nicodemus rose from his 
seat and walked on. 


CHAPTER X. 


HOW THE LORD GAVE A SIGN. 

As they reached the top of the fourteen broad steps 
that led down into the Court of the[Gentiles, Nicodemus 
uttered an exclamation of surprise, for something strange 
was taking place. There was confusion in that great 
enclosure among the cattle-dealers and money-changers, 
and agitation everywhere. And suddenly there seemed 
to be a wild stampede, men and cattle fleeing tumultu- 
ously toward the gates before one man — a young man, 
armed only with a whip of rushes. When he reached 
the portico, still driving them before him, he stopped to 
overturn the tables of the money-changers, pouring out 
the money upon the ground, while their owners, seized 
with a great fear, did not wait to gather up so much as 
a single coin but fled away in terror. And yet, intense 
and stormy as seemed to be the displeasure of the 
young man, Nicodemus observed that he had not lost his 
self-command. When he came to the sellers of doves 
he spoke quietly to them, and being now within hearing 
distance, Antipas heard him say, “ Take these things 
away ; do not make my Father’s house a house of mer- 
chandise ? ” 

Old Hicodemus, who had been watching him very in- 
tently, started at these words and exclaimed to Antipas, 

( 71 ) 


72 


JERUSALEM. 


“ ‘ My Father’s house ! ’ the very words of that remark- 
able boy of whom I told you! What can it mean? 
Why does the chief of the temple guard permit this ? 
Why does not he call upon his police ? And yet I know 
not — is not this the day we have been looking for? 
Hasten, Antipas, carry word of what has happened to 
the rabbis on the terrace; we must inquire into the 
meaning of this strange sign ! ” 

Surprised though Antipas was by all that he had seen, 
he was even more surprised by its effect upon the 
rabbis. With startled glances at one another, they rose 
and hastened to the great court. They found it strangely 
quiet. Hot an echo remained of the unseemly sounds 
that had so lately profaned it ; the multitudes who had 
come up to worship were gathered in groups of threes 
or fours, talking with intense but subdued agitation, 
while he who had created all the turmoil stood motionless 
in the midst of the court as if plunged in deep thought. 
Three or four young men, evidently from the country, 
were respectfully grouped behind him. 

“ What is the meaning of this sign ? ” asked Hico- 
demus of the rabbis as they gathered around him. He 
had no need to add anything to his hasty message by 
Antipas, for the silent court told the rest. 

“ It is the sign given us by the prophet Malachi,” ex- 
claimed a young rabbi in eager, rapid words, “ Messiah 
coming suddenly to his temple; what other would it 
be?” 

“ Hay, Eabbi Joseph, you are too hasty,” said a ven- 
erable man, whom, from his imposing manner and mag- 


WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM \ 


73 


nificent dress, Antipas knew to be the high priest. “ That 
young man has about him none of the awful splendor of 
the Messiah at His coming. Who is he, indeed ? Can 
no one tell ? ” 

There was no answer, but it seemed to Antipas that 
many of the rabbis thought that Rabbi Joseph might be 
right, and that this must be the Messiah. The boy went 
softly down the steps that he might look more nearly 
upon this strange purifier of the temple; and then a 
sudden thrill of awed delight ran through him, for the 
young man turned his face full upon him, and Antipas 
recognized him of the joyous eyes whom he had seen on 
the Lake of Galilee. Only now his eyes were not 
exactly joyous. They were full of an intense expecta- 
tion. As they fell upon Antipas they seemed to say to 
him, “ Who do you say that I am?” and with a sudden 
leap of heart he exclaimed, “ Messiah, it is Messiah ! ” 
He spoke in a low voice out of respect to the rabbis, who 
were not far off, but the young man had heard, and he 
looked at Antipas with an expression of love and appro- 
bation that the boy never forgot. His lips moved, and 
Antipas heard him murmur softly, “ I thank Thee, O 
Father, because Thou hast hid these things from the 
wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes.” 

And now with eager expectation Antipas saw the 
rabbis and rulers approach the young man. He expected 
to see them bow before him and hail him as the Mes- 
siah. He expected that the kingdom of God would be 
at once set up there in His holy temple, and that every 
one would hasten to call this wonderful young man king. 


74 


JERUSALEM. 


His heart beat almost to suffocation. His ears were 
ringing, his lips parted in readiness to join in the glad 
shouts that must in a moment rise. 

But no ; a few words were exchanged ; some of the 
rabbis seemed almost to sneer at the stranger, who 
answered them calmly but with majesty. Then he 
turned quietly away, and with his few young followers 
passed around to the left of the Court of the Women 
and disappeared. The priests and rabbis began to talk 
vehemently among themselves, but Nicodemus did not 
join in their conversation ; he stood apart perplexed, and 
when finally he beckoned Antipas to him and they went 
away together there was no sign anywhere of the young 
man and his friends. 

Antipas hoped that his uncle would explain what it 
all meant, but Nicodemus kept silence, and a strange 
sense of awe kept the boy silent also. Yet in his heart 
there was a deep joy because of the look of love and ap- 
probation he had received from the unknown young 
man. And if he was not the Messiah, who could he be ? 


CHAPTER XL 


HOW DEVOUT MEN AND WOMEN ASKED THE MEANING OF 
THE SIGN. 

The sacredly joyful feast days passed on. The Pass- 
over supper had been eaten, and upon Antipas had de- 
volved the duty, as youngest child in his great-uncle’s 
household, of asking, at a certain moment during the 
feast, “What mean we by this service?” And Nico- 
demus, as oldest in the family, had answered with the 
story of the passing over of the Israelitish houses by the 
death-angel in the destruction of the first-born of Egypt, 
and of Israel’s deliverance from the land of bondage on 
that awful night. Then there had been the attendance 
on the early morning service ; the thrilling moment 
when the priest went in to burn incense before the 
Lord, while every person in the great congregation was 
bent to the ground in silent adoration ; and after that 
the offering for the Passover burnt-offering of more than 
a hundred and twenty thousand lambs upon the great 
altar, the smoke of which did not cease to go up all that 
day. 

The first two days of the feast were chiefly devoted to 
religious services, though even then there was much of 
family festivity in the house of Nicodemus, and indeed 
in all the houses of Jerusalem. After these two days, 

(75) 


76 


BETHANY. 


visiting and sociability began, and Antipas made a num- 
ber of new acquaintances among the children of his 
parents’ friends. 

One of the most memorable of these visits was in a 
house where there were no children. It was not in 
Jerusalem, but in a pleasant village named Bethany, less 
than two miles away. They went there one fine after- 
noon — a long walk through the deep, palm-shaded val- 
ley of Kedron and around the shoulder of the Mount of 
Olives. The house they were to visit was one of the 
best in the village, built about a large court, with a 
beautiful fountain in the centre and palms and many 
flowers growing around it. 

Antipas had heard his father say that they were going 
to the house of Simon ; but it seemed that Simon him- 
self was not at home, for only Lazarus, a young man of 
twenty -two or three, and his two sisters appeared to give 
them welcome. And when Simon’s name was men- 
tioned they looked sad and tears came into the eyes of 
Mary, the younger sister. Martha, the elder sister, was a 
dignified woman, a few years older than Lazarus, and 
Mary was several years younger. Mary undertook to 
make things pleasant for Antipas, as no other children 
were there when he arrived. 

“ But you will soon have a more suitable playfellow 
than I,’’ said the young girl, smiling, when they had 
left the elders of the company seated in grave conversa- 
tion in the “ upper chamber ” and strayed away to an- 
other part of the roof where they could talk more at ease. 
“ There is a very nice boy expected here this evening.” 


ANTIPAS MEETS MABK. 


77 


“What is his name, and how old is he?” asked 
Antipas. 

“ His name is Mark, and he lives with his father and 
mother in a house that you must have passed to come 
here, on a slope of Mount Zion as you go down into the 
Yalley of the Cheesemongers,” replied Mary. “ He is 
older than you, but not much ; about fourteen, I think.” 

There was a little bustle of new arrivals, and among 
them Antipas saw a boy that he knew must be Mark. 
Mary brought him to Antipas and shortly left them 
together. 

“You live in Capernaum, don’t you?” asked Mark. 
‘‘ My mother has friends there, a fisherman named Simon 
and his wife. Simon always comes to our house for the 
Passover, and this year he has brought such nice friends 
with him, Jesus of Nazareth and his mother.” 

“Do you like to have Passover pilgrims at your 
house?” asked Antipas. 

“ That depends ; they are not always very nice, though 
mother says that the stranger always brings a blessing, 
especially if he is a poor man.” 

“ Yes,” said Antipas, “ ‘ whenever a poor man stands 
at the door, the Holy One, blessed be His name, stands 
at his right hand.’ ” 

“Where did you learn that?” asked Mark, who had 
just begun to study the teachings of the rabbis, and was 
surprised to hear a boy so much younger than himself 
quote from them. 

“I have often heard my father repeat it,” replied 
Antipas. “ Is Jesus of Nazareth a poor man ? ” 


78 


BETHANY. 


“ He must be, if your saying is true,” replied Mark, 
“ for surely the Holy One is at his right hand. Antipas, 
I wish you could see him. There is something about 
him that makes you love him ; and he seems always so 
happy — not amusing, you know, but just as if he knew 
some joyful thing. And he talks differently from any 
one I ever heard before ; sometimes he tells a little story 
that makes you think ; for it is almost always to show 
what the kingdom of heaven is like.” 

“ The kingdom of heaven ! ” repeated Antipas. 
“ They have been talking so much about that at my 
Uncle Nicodemus’s house. He wants to live to see it, 
he says. But I should think one so old would not like 
the fighting.” 

u My mother- thinks,” said Mark, “ that when the 
Messiah comes there will not be any fighting ; for the 
Messiah will be of such awful majesty that even the 
Homans will not dare oppose him. But I don’t see how 
that can be. The Romans are not afraid of anybody, 
and they won’t give up the dominion for nothing. I am 
sure there must be fighting.” 

“He could make even the Romans give up without 
fighting if he was like a man who was in the temple the 
other day,” began Antipas, but Mark interrupted him. 

“ Did you hear about that ? Why, that was Jesus ! ” 

“ What ! ” exclaimed Antipas. “ Do you know him ? 
Oh, don’t you think he must be a real king ? Did you 
not see how they all obeyed him, those who sold oxen, 
and even the money-changers ? It seemed that he had 
only to look at them and they obeyed.” 


WHAT DID THE SIGN MEAN? 


79 


“ W ere you there ? Did you see him ? Oh, I’d give 
anything to have been there then ! What was it like ? ” 
asked Mark, the words tumbling over one another in his 
eagerness. 

Antipas tried to describe, and Mark kept asking ques- 
tions till they were summoned to supper, when the con- 
versation was left to the grown people. 

But they too, it seemed, were talking of that strange 
event in the temple, and when the company learned 
from Mark’s mother, Mary, that she had as guest in 
her own house the young man who had cleansed the 
temple of the unseemly traffic that had so long profaned 
it they were intensely interested. Nicodemus especially 
asked many questions about him. All present agreed 
that he had done a brave deed, for they were all truly 
religious people, to whom the profanation of the temple 
had seemed a grievous thing. 

“What do you think is the meaning of his act?” 
asked Lazarus. 

“ It seems difficult to give it more than one meaning,” 
replied the old rabbi, “ and yet there is a strange absence 
in this young man of all we have been wont to expect 
in the Messiah — no pomp, no majesty, no military fol- 
lowing. Though I ought not to say 6 no majesty ’ when 
I remember how they all obeyed his command, unsup- 
ported as it was by anything except the might of his 
own countenance.” 

“ You need only to live in the house with him a little 
while,” said Mark’s mother, “ to cease to wonder that 
men obey him. I have never seen a man more gentle, 


80 


BETHANY. 


and yet it seems as if he had only to command and we 
should all obey him. Not because we fear his anger, 
but because he rules our hearts.” 

There was a little silence after these words until Laz- 
arus said: “I must know this young man. I feel 
strongly drawn to him by what you say. And if it 
should indeed prove that he is the Messiah, though he 
has not come in the pomp and majesty that we expected, 
should we not still rejoice and be willing to accept his 
way as the right way ? ” 

“ Are you sure,” asked Chuza, “ that the cleansing of 
the temple was not just what we ought to have expected ? 
Can the mountain of the house of Jehovah appear estab- 
lished on the tops of the mountains, as the prophet has 
said, while such defiling practices are going on within it, 
and the very priests of the sanctuary gaining large rev- 
enues by permitting this profanation? I have never 
come up to a feast that my soul has not been moved to 
indignation within me at the sight.” 

“ They tell me,” said Mark’s mother, “ that he refused 
a sign to the priests when they asked it. Is that so ? ” 

“ Unless his very act had been a sign,” observed 
Lazarus. 

“ Since that day he has done things that seem to me 
like signs,” Mark’s mother went on. “ Does not the 
prophet say of the Messiah, ‘Himself bore our sick- 
nesses ’ ? He has visited several houses of suffering in 
our neighborhood, and already the sick are well. I don’t 
know what method he uses. I have not felt at liberty 
to ask him. There is that in his eye, lovely and winning 
as he is, that forbids questionings.” 


IIE IS NO COMMON MAN. 


81 


“ Healing the sick,” observed Joanna ; “ perhaps he 
does it as the prophets and elders of old used to do in 
the days when Jehovah was more evidently with His 
people — by laying his hands upon them and praying to 
Jehovah for their recovery.” 

“ No,” said Chuza, answering Mary, “ I do not think 
you could call that a Messianic sign, though it surely 
shows him to be a prophet’; and perhaps that is all we 
should see in his cleansing of the temple. One thing 
there is no question about — he is not like common men.” 

“ He is no common man,” said Nicodemus emphati- 
cally. “No man can do the signs that he has done ex- 
cept God be with him.” 

As the visitors from Jerusalem walked home together 
in the glorious light of the Passover moon, just a little 
past the full, their talk all the way was of Jesus. It 
seemed to Antipas that Mark was of all boys the most to 
be envied, to be living for a whole week under the same 
roof with him ; and both the boys ardently hoped that 
it would be found that he really was the Messiah. 


CHAPTER XII. 


HOW ANTIPAS FELL ILL AND WAS WONDROUSLY HEALED. 

The great event was over and Antipas was again at 
home, but he was not quite the same boy that had set 
forth two weeks before, proudly mounted on his white 
Arabian. The first sight of the Holy City, with the 
first experience of a great feast, was likely, indeed, to be 
the turning-point in the life of every wide-awake, well- 
taught Israelitish boy ; but this had been no ordinary 
feast. That strange scene in the temple was not like 
anything that had ever happened before; people had 
been talking about it everywhere and wondering what 
it could mean, wondering if, indeed, that brave and 
singular young man could be the Messiah. To be sure, 
the priests and doctors of the law had not said that he 
was, and they ought to know ; but Antipas could not 
help thinking that his great-uncle believed that this was 
he whom the nation was eagerly expecting. But whether 
or not the young man was the Messiah, he was very 
brave and very full of power. Antipas thought that he 
should like to have him for a friend ; and surely he had 
done a good thing in clearing the temple of all that had 
so defiled that sacred place. The more Antipas thought 
of him, the more he felt his heart drawn to him, and 
loving him, he could not but believe in him. 

( 82 ) 


ANTIPAS RETURNS TO HIS STUDIES. 


83 


He had talked a good deal with his mother about this, 
but she had not quite agreed with him. She was in- 
clined to think, with her husband, that this Jesus of 
Nazareth was a young man of deep piety and great zeal 
for the holiness of God’s house, and that his zeal and a 
remarkable strength of character had given him power, 
by a sudden bold act, to overawe the traffickers in the 
temple court. And now, she said to Antipas gently 
but quite emphatically, it would be better to put all 
these matters out of his mind and give diligent attention 
to his studies, for these were the important interest of a 
boy of his age. Neither father nor mother thought it 
well to suggest to the boy their belief that if Jesus really 
was the Messiah, Herod would soon lose his power and 
Chuza his honorable position and great wealth. For 
indeed they were too high-minded to consider their pri- 
vate interests where such a thing as Messiah’s kingdom 
was concerned. And Antipas obeyed his mother to the 
best of his ability. Only sometimes when they were 
sailing on the lake, or when he was riding on his white 
Arabian, that face would come up before him, full of 
love and joy as he had seen it in the fisher-boat, or full 
of power and indignation as he had seen it in the temple 
court, and he longed to see Jesus again. 

So the long, hot summer passed away and the mild 
winter of the lake of Galilee drew near. Antipas had 
never once seen Jesus, though he was always hoping 
that he might. Sometimes on the lake he saw in one 
of the fisher-boats the boy whom he had seen with 
Jesus, and with whom he had afterward spoken, and he 
resolved to make an opportunity to speak to him again. 


84 


CAPERNAUM. 


Not many days later tlie boy came to the house with 
fish just as Antipas was going out to ride, and after that 
Antipas so managed that they might often meet. For 
Bar-joses, it appeared, could often bring news of Jesus, 
because his master’s sons were with him. None of the 
party had come home after the Passover ; they had gone 
to some part of Judea near the river Jordan. There 
Jesus was teaching the people who came to him about 
the kingdom of heaven, and his disciples, the young men 
whom Antipas had seen clustered around him in the 
temple, were baptizing those who believed that Jesus 
was the Messiah and that the kingdom of heaven was at 
hand. Antipas wished with all his heart that he might 
go to the Jordan and hear Jesus preach and be baptized, 
and he spoke of it to his mother ; but she told him that 
if this was all true and the kingdom really at hand, he 
could not better fit himself for it than by doing the 
duties that God had given him to do. And Antipas felt 
that his mother must be right in this. 

Very soon something intensely interesting happened — 
the prophet John the Baptist came to Galilee and was for 
a long time in Tiberias and even in Capernaum, preach- 
ing not only to the common people but to the Tetrarch 
Herod himself. Antipas had been brought up to hold 
Herod in very great respect, his father being one of 
Herod’s highest officers; but now he could not help 
learning that the Tetrarch was not a good man, but in 
some respects at least a very bad one, for every one was 
talking about the prophet’s great bravery in rebuking 
Herod’s sins to his very face. And then, to the horror 


ANTIPAS FALLS ILL. 


85 


of Antipas, he heard that the prophet had been shut up 
in prison, in the gloomy castle of Machserus far away, 
as a punishment for daring to rebuke Herod’s sins. It 
seemed to Antipas very dreadful that a monarch should 
do a cowardly or a revengeful thing. 

After this Antipas heard nothing more, for he fell 
very ill with a dangerous fever. Everything was done 
for him that his parents could devise or money could 
buy ; his mother, his old nurse, Mirza the faithful bond- 
man, watched over him night and day ; the most noted 
physicians of Capernaum and Tiberias were sent for ; his 
father came to him as often as his court duties permitted, 
and would hang over him with a gaze of deep distress, 
or, turning away, would cover his head with his tallith 
and, bowing himself almost to the ground, pray long and 
earnestly for the life of his only son. But of this Anti- 
pas knew at last nothing ; for he was lying in a deathly 
stupor. 

It was the gray dawn of a December morning. Anti- 
pas’s mother was sitting by his bedside looking upon 
him with a face of anguish, his old nurse on the other 
side of the cot was trying to force a healing potion be- 
tween his lips, his father was praying in agony too great 
for words, when old Mirza stole softly in. He looked 
at the boy and sighed, then, approaching his mistress, he 
said in a low voice : 

“ The prophet has returned to Galilee.” 

“ The Baptist ? ” she asked. “ Has he escaped from 
prison ? ” 

“ Hot he, but one of whom he testified that he was 


86 


CAPERNAUM. 


greater than himself — Jesus of Nazareth, who cleansed 
the temple on the feast day. O mistress! I heard that 
while he was in Jerusalem he healed many sick ; the 
fame of his cures went out through all the region. And 
now he has returned and is, they say, at Cana.” 

The mother’s pale face shone with hope. “ Tell your 
master, Mirza,” she whispered. He waited respect- 
fully till Chuza removed the tallith from his head, 
then told him of Jesus’ return to Galilee and of the 
fame that had gone before him, so great that even a 
fisherman who had just come to bring some of his 
night’s catch had been able to talk of nothing else. 
Chuza listened for a minute, then said : “ Make ready my 
horse, Mirza, as quickly as possible. I will go to him, 
wherever he may be. We will leave no hope untried.” 

He stopped only a moment to look upon his boy, 
kissed his wife, and heard her whisper, “ The God of 
Jacob grant thee thy heart’s desire,” and then he went 
away. % 

The mother betook herself to prayer, asking only that 
her child’s life might be spared until the prophet could 
arrive. She thought of a mother in Shunem, long, long 
ago, whose son a prophet, with a great effort of God- 
given power, had won back to life, and of that widow of 
Zarephath to whom a greater prophet had restored her 
son from death ; and she prayed that things might not 
come to so dreadful an extremity, for she could not hope 
that the young prophet of Nazareth could work such 
miracles as these. 

So she sat hour after hour and prayed, while that dear 


NO NEED TO TROUBLE THE PROPHET, 87 

life was ebbing away. Noonday passed, the old nurse 
bad given up trying to force the potion between the 
rigid lips, and knelt motionless, waiting to receive the 
last breath. Faithful old Mirza stood beside her ; other 
servants had clustered in the doorway to wait upon the 
last moments of their master’s only son, whose breathing 
was now so faint that every fluttering sigh seemed likely 
to be the last. 

Suddenly the boy’s eyes opened, and he spoke in 
a voice weak but clear. “ I am getting better, mother, 
am I not ? ” he asked. 

She could hardly believe her ears. She laid her hand 
upon his brow ; the fever was all gone that only a few 
minutes ago had seemed to be burning his life away. 
The boy spoke more naturally than he had done fur 
several days — could it be just the last flaring up of the 
candle before it went out for ever? 

But no, he continued to grow better. In a little 
while he wanted to rise, and, between joy and fear of a 
relapse, the trembling mother helped him dress and drew 
him down beside her on the divan, her arms fast locked 
about him. And then she suddenly bethought her that 
there was no need to trouble the prophet, and that it 
would be good to relieve the father’s anxious heart. 

She at once despatched two servants in the direction 
of Cana, where, as Mirza told her, the prophet had been 
staying; and in the early evening, worn with many 
nights of watching, she went to her own room and sank 
to sleep with a prayer of thankfulness upon her lips. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


HOW CHUZA LEARNED THAT JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH. 

Antipas’s father had ridden away from Capernaum 
with a heavy heart, for he knew it was next to impos- 
sible that he should ever again see his boy alive. He 
urged his horse forward as fast as he dared up the long 
hills that lie between the lake and the village of Cana, 
and it was not yet the first hour after noon when he 
reached his journey’s end. The first person he met 
directed him to the house of Nathanael, where Jesus 
was lodging, and Chuza found him sitting in the court, 
with several happy children about him, listening to his 
stories. 

The nobleman threw himself off his horse, and almost 
falling at Jesus’ feet he implored him to return with 
him to heal his son. He had heard much of the kind- 
ness of Jesus, and expected him to be all readiness to 
help, so that it was with amazed impatience that he saw 
the prophet sitting still, with the children leaning against 
his knee, only saying with a sorrowful look, “ Except 
you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” To 
the anxious father it seemed cruel that one of whom he 
had asked help should only talk of such a thing as be- 
lieving. What he wanted was that his son should be 
saved. He had set out to seek Jesus only as a last re- 
OS) 



A HILLY KOAD IN PALESTINE. 














• • 
















. 


























■ •* 























































ANTIPAS IS SAVED. 


89 


sort, with very little hope that it would do any good, and 
yet it seemed to him now that everything depended upon 
this prophet going to his boy. He could not stop to 
discuss the question of belief ; he almost interrupted 
Jesus with the agonized entreaty, “ Sir, come down be- 
fore my child dies ! ” 

A strange expression came into Jesus’ face — an ex- 
pression of great joy as well as of commanding power. 
He gazed upon Chuza for a moment, and then said in a 
voice so sweet and gentle that to the father it seemed as 
if an angel spoke, “Go back home; your son lives.” 
Like a great rush it came over Chuza that every one of 
this man’s words must be true ; if he said the boy would 
live, there could be no doubt of it. Believe? Yes, in- 
deed, he did believe, and with one look of speechless 
gratitude and trust he turned and went away. 

His horse was tired and must rest, but at the earliest 
possible moment Chuza was in the saddle, hastening 
down the steep road toward Capernaum. The sun went 
down and a new day began before he had made half the 
distance, but he still pressed on. Suddenly he heard the 
sound of hoof beats, and two of his own servants rode 
up. 

“ The boy ? ” he gasped. “ He lives ! ” they both 
exclaimed. “Yesterday about the seventh hour the 
fever left him.” 

The very hour ! At one o’clock the day before, ac- 
cording to the Jews’ reckoning from evening to evening, 
Jesus had said, “ Your son lives ! ” and it was so. From 
this moment Chuza never doubted that Jesus was in- 


90 


CAPERNAUM. 


deed the Messiah. There was no longer need of haste. 
What Jesus had begun he would surely finish. At the 
nearest village Chuza stopped for the night, and slept 
without a thought of anxiety. And when early next 
morning he reached his house, what joy to find the dear 
child not the pale corpse he had dreaded to see, but the 
same bright boy he had been before his illness, a little 
pale, perhaps, from long confinement, but really well. 
And when the father told the wonderful story to Anti- 
pas and his mother and to the servants who gathered at 
the door to hear, what could they all do but believe ? 

“ I was sure he was the Messiah,” said Antipas with a 
happy smile. “ And I believe that he has saved my life 
that I may be his soldier when I am grown.” 

“God grant me an opportunity to serve him!” said 
Joanna with streaming eyes; and then Chuza rose, and 
they all stood with bowed and covered heads while 
Chuza prayed, in the words of the synagogue service : 

“ Blessed be the Lord our God and the God of our 
fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the 
great, the mighty, and the terrible God ; the Most High 
God who showeth mercy and kindness, who createth all 
things, who remembereth the gracious promises to the 
fathers and bringeth a Saviour to their children’s chil- 
dren, for His own name’s sake in love, O King, Helper, 
Saviour, and Shield ! Blessed art thou, O Jehovah, the 
Shield of Abraham ! ” 

And Antipas sat down beside his parents at the noon- 
day meal. He was almost too happy to eat, so warm was 
the love of Jesus, his Saviour, in his heart. 


CHAPTER XIY. 


HOW THE LORD CAME UNTO HIS OWN AND HIS OWN 
RECEIVED HIM NOT. 

Little Janna’ s father had been all the time getting 
worse instead of better since their removal to Caper- 
naum, and before the winter came he was quite helpless 
with the palsy, unable even to move about, still less to 
tend the little shop. All Ruth’s time and strength were 
needed to take care of him and wait on customers, and 
she was very glad when Mary of Nazareth, the mother 
of Jesus, who had been in Capernaum visiting her sister 
Salome, Zebedee’s wife, asked leave to take little Janna 
home with her. Janna was very willing to go, but it 
was a disappointment to the child to find that Jesus was 
not in Nazareth. Though he had not seen him for 
many months, the heart of little Janna was very true to 
his dear friend. 

One Friday afternoon Mary took him to see Nathan, 
the boy whose home faced on the court where Janna 
used to live. Poor Nathan was epileptic, and often suf- 
fered very much, but there were times when he was 
better, and then, though he was much older, he loved to 
play with Janna, who was more gentle than the bigger 
boys. This afternoon, while they were playing to- 
gether, and Mary, sitting under the grapevine, was talk- 

( 91 ) 


92 


NAZARETH. 


ing with Nathan’s mother, his father, Obed, came up and 
stood a little while listening. Then he said : “ I was in 
Capernaum a few days ago, and all the town was ring- 
ing with a cure they said Jesus of Nazareth had per- 
formed.” 

“ My Jesus ! ” exclaimed Mary. “ What was it, 
Obed?” 

“ Why, they may believe it who can,” replied Obed 
with a sneer, “ but they say he healed of a dangerous 
fever the son of Chuza, Herod’s chamberlain.” 

Mary looked eagerly at Obed, while his wife said : 
“ Jesus heal any one ? Why, he’s not a doctor ! ” 

“ And what’s more,” Obed went on with a mocking 
smile, “healed him without going near him, when he 
was away up here in Cana.” 

“Oh, but that’s impossible, Obed,” said his wife, 
“ the people who told you that can’t have been telling 
the truth.” 

Mary had looked from one to the other without 
speaking, but a great light shone in her eyes. She 
might have spoken, but at that moment poor Nathan 
fell down upon the ground in one of his fits, and as his 
mother had kindled a fire on the ground to cook the 
Sabbath supper, the boy fell into it and would have 
been badly burned if his father had not quickly snatched 
him up. The poor boy was writhing and foaming at 
the mouth in awful agony, and it was a long time before, 
with all their efforts, he could find relief. When at last 
the paroxysm passed over and Nathan lay limp and ex- 
hausted upon the divan, Obed turned to Mary and said, 


JESUS COMES HOME. 


93 


“ When I see your son heal my poor boy I’ll believe 
he has the power he pretends to have, but not before .’ 1 

Mary did not answer this, for at that moment a long 
trumpet blast sounded loud. It was from the roof of 
the synagogue minister’s house, warning the people that 
the Sabbath was drawing nigh. Calling little Janna to 
her, Mary hastened home. 

“ Mother Mary,” asked Janna as they went, “if Jesus 
made the boy well in Capernaum, couldn’t he cure 
Nathan too?” 

“ Perhaps he could,” she answered. 

To their great joy they found Jesus in the house, for 
he had walked over the hills from Cana, which was only 
five miles away. Mary hastened to set out the festive 
Sabbath meal, and when the trumpet sounded a second 
time she lit the Sabbath lamp. Then the third trum- 
pet sounded, and the Sabbath had actually begun, the 
holy time especially consecrated to family joy and to the 
worship of God. Every one of Mary’s household was in 
his Sabbath clothes and prepared to enjoy the Sabbath 
good cheer, that seemed doubly good because Jesus was 
there to share it. 

That was a very happy family around the table. The 
four younger brothers of Jesus were there, and his two 
sisters, who were married and had their own homes 
near by, and who came over as soon as they heard of his 
arrival. But little Janna thought no one could be so 
glad as he. He kept close to his friend, and was per- 
fectly happy when Jesus took him in his arms and set 
him on his knee while he talked with the others of the 


94 


NAZAKETH. 


tilings that had happened ever since the Passover, many 
months before. 

He had been teaching in various parts of J udea, and 
a great many people had come to hear him. James and 
John, Simon and Andrew, Philip and Nathanael, had 
all spent a part at least of the time with him, and it 
was only since Jesus had returned to Galilee that they had 
all gone back to their fishing on the lake or their other 
work. As for him, he had been preaching in the syna-. 
gogues of the Galilean villages through which he passed 
on his way home. “ Jesus preach!” thought little 
Janna, with a feeling of pride. He looked up and 
met the eyes of Jesus, fixed on him in love. Though 
there was so much to talk about, he never forgot the 
little boy. 

Very early the next day the whole family were on 
the way to the synagogue, walking very fast, as the cus- 
tom was, to show how eager they were to get there. 
Going home they would walk very slowly, as if sorry to 
leave the place of worship, for this was the command- 
ment of the rabbis. 

Janna went up with Mary to the women’s gallery, but 
peeping down he saw Nathan sitting beside his father, 
and. Jesus and his brothers in another part of the syna- 
gogue, and the ruler of the synagogue stopping to speak 
wfith Jesus before taking his seat with the other elders, 
directly before the ark in which the rolls of the sacred 
Scriptures were kept. 

The service began : prayers and the recitation of the 
Shema {Hear, 0 Israel , Deut. x. 4), which little Janna 


JESUS PREACHES IN THE SYNAGOGUE. 95 


knew, and the reading of the Scriptures in Hebrew, 
translated by an interpreter into the Aramaic language, 
for that was the language which every one spoke in 
Palestine at that time. The reading took a good while, 
for six persons read, one after another, and little Janna 
had begun to feel sleepy, when suddenly he found him- 
self wide awake, for Jesus had gone up the steps and 
was standing in front of the ark to read from the 
prophets. 

Even Janna understood the short passage which Jesus 
read : 

The Spirit of Jehovah is upon me. 

Because Jehovah hath anointed me. 

To preach good tidings unto the meek hath He sent me, 

To bind up the broken-hearted, 

To proclaim liberty to the captives 
And deliverance to them that are bound ; 

To proclaim the acceptable year of Jehovah.” 

When Jesus had read the portion through, he rolled 
up the roll of the prophet and gave it to the attendant 
and sat down, as was the custom, and began to preach. 

He told them that the glorious time that he had been 
reading about had come ; that he was the Messiah, and 
the time for the kingdom of God was the present time. 
But he did not say anything about being a king and 
driving away the Eomans and making the Jews a great 
nation and giving them dominion over the whole world, 
which was what they all expected the Messiah to do ; 
instead of that he said that he had come to make the 
blind see, and to free men from the bondage of sin, just 
as Jewish bond servants went free from their masters in 


NAZARETH. 


the year of jubilee, after fifty years of servitude ; and 
that in the Messiah’s reign every one would be free from 
sin, and kind to one another, all living together in the 
generous spirit of the year of jubilee. 

His words were so beautiful and he drew such a de- 
lightful picture of the love and peace and unselfishness 
and holiness which would prevail in God’s kingdom, 
that it made even Janna glad, though he didn’t half 
realize what it meant. And when Jesus finished, every 
one seemed touched and happy ; they wondered at the 
kindness of his teachings, and that he said nothing of 
the terrible things that they had thought must happen 
when the Messiah came. But while they were hanging 
upon his gracious words, suddenly a sneering voice ex- 
claimed, “ Is not this Joseph’s son ? ” 

Every one looked around. It was Obed, who was 
gazing about with a mocking smile. His exclamation 
gave a disagreeable check to those who had been listen- 
ing with delight to Jesus’ words. Janna saw that they 
began to whisper among themselves, and then Obed 
said, u Why doesn’t he do in his own country the things 
he does in Capernaum ? Ask him that ? ” 

But before any one had time to ask him, Jesus spoke 
of that very thing, telling them that those who wanted 
the benefits of the kingdom must believe in the Mes- 
siah, and accept his authority. And then he told two 
Bible stories that Janna already knew, about Elijah and 
Elisha, who did their wonderful cures, not in their own 
country for their own people, but in foreign lands, and 
on those who were not Jews, but who believed the 
prophets’ teachings. 


ON THE BROW OF THE HILL. 


97 


At this Obed sprang up with a great shout that he 
would not believe so long as his son was not cured ; and 
then every one jumped up, crying, “ Yes, yes ; perforin 
a miracle, a miracle!” and when Jesus sat motionless 
they rushed upon him. Janna, trembling, hid his face in 
Mary’s skirts ; but presently his love for his dear friend 
made him brave, and he looked out again. A great 
many men had seized Jesus and were dragging him 
down the steps and out of the synagogue. 

“ Oh come, Mother Mary, come ! ” cried Janna. 
“ They are hurting Jesus ! Let us go with him ! ” 

Jesus’ mother did not need to be asked twice. She 
made her way down stairs, and there she found her 
younger sons waiting for her, while a howling crowd 
was following those who had dragged Jesus away. 
Leaning upon the arm of her son James, and followed 
by the others, Mary hastened after them, little Janna 
clinging to her hand. 

“ They are dragging him to the precipice ! ” exclaimed 
James as they hurried on, panting. “Can they mean 
to throw him over it ? ” 

Yes, that was just what they meant. On one side of 
the high plain on which Nazareth is built there is a 
steep precipice, and toward it they were dragging Jesus. 
In their fury the crowd jostled and hindered one an- 
other, so that Mary and her companions reached the 
place almost as soon as they. There they saw that just 
as the mob were about to push J esus off the height he 
turned and gazed upon them, with a look so command- 
ing that their hands fell away from him, He said not 


98 


NAZARETH. 


a word, but only looked again, and in awe at something 
they saw in his face they fell back. He took a few 
steps forward, and the crowd parted and fell away on 
the right and on the left, making a narrow passage for 
him. And so, without a word, he walked through the 
midst of them, and turning toward the hill that over- 
looked the city, the hill where he had loved to play when 
he was a boy, he went slowly out of their sight. 

“ Where is he going ? ” asked his brother James. 

“ I know,” said Janna, “ he told me once that he went 
up on the mountain to pray to God.” 

“ Yes, and there he will probably stay all night,” said 
Mary, “ for prayer is what he lives by. But, James, I 
do not think that Nazareth is the place for us to live in 
now. I think we would better go to Capernaum, where 
they have received Jesus and are willing to listen to 
him.” 

“ I am ready,” said James, “ and my brothers too, I 
am sure. We will stand by Jesus, you know, mother, 
though I don’t see the need of his preaching that way ; 
I can’t think he can be the Messiah, can you ? ” 

Mary did not answer, but her eyes looked as if she 
knew he was the Messiah. 


CHAPTEE XV. 


HOW SIMON PETER LEARNED THAT HE WAS A SINFUL MAN. 

Antipas thought that he had never felt so well in all 
his life as since he had been wondrously cured of his 
fever. The very day after the fever left him he was 
able to go out of doors and take up his studies again. 
Still his parents thought it best for him not to study 
much for a time, and so it happened that he was mostly 
out of doors those days, riding his Arabian or sailing in 
one of his father’s pleasure boats. 

His thoughts were much on Jesus, who had made him 
well ; he longed to see him and thank him ; he longed 
to do something to show him how he loved him. And 
as Bar-joses, the fisher boy, knew more about Jesus’ 
movements than any one else whom Antipas knew, he 
went one morning down to the place where the fishing 
boats came in, in hope of finding him and asking some 
questions. 

As he drew near he saw that the shore of the lake 
was crowded with people, all quiet and apparently listen- 
ing to some one who was talking. With a great leap of 
heart, Antipas thought that it must be Jesus, and he 
hastened on, trying to push through the crowd. Then 
there was a little stir ; he managed to work his way to 
the front, and saw that Jesus had got into one of the 

( 99 ) 


100 


CAPERNAUM. 


fishing boats and two fishermen were pushing it off a 
little from the shore. Before he had time to be disap- 
pointed the anchor dropped, and Jesus, sitting in the 
stern of the vessel where he could easily be seen and 
heard by all on shore, began again to teach. “The 
time was fulfilled,” he said, for which the nation had 
been waiting so long ; the Messiah was now among 
them ; the kingdom was at hand ; and in a voice of 
sweetest urgency he begged them to repent of their sins 
and believe the good tidings he brought them. 

Then he began to teach them what the kingdom of 
heaven was like ; and Antipas, listening, learned that it 
was not to be set up by fighting the Romans and putting 
down the enemies of Israel, but by believing in Jesus, 
and being at peace with God through forgiven sin, and 
serving one another in the love of God. The boy did 
not understand at all, it was so different from what he 
had been taught. Yet in his heart he felt, “ Yes, that 
is what I want to do and to be,” and more and more he 
loved him who was speaking, who had been his own 
saviour from death. 

Like other boys, Antipas knew the secret of getting 
to the front of a crowd, and long before Jesus had 
finished speaking he was on the water’s edge, not a 
stone’s throw from the boat. More than once his eye 
met that of Jesus, and his heart leaped with joy at the 
glance of interest and helpfulness that he gave him. 
But now Jesus had finished his teaching, and he turned 
to the two fishermen, who were, in fact, Simon and 
Andrew, though Antipas did not know them, and 


WHAT IT IS TO KNOW JESUS. 


101 


said, “ Launch out now, and let down your nets for a 
draught.” 

Antipas heard the answer, “Master, we toiled all 
night and took nothing ; nevertheless, at thy word 1 
will let down the nets.” 

“ And they’ll catch something, too,” said a voice near 
Antipas. He turned and saw Bar-joses. 

“Yes,” Antipas replied. “Of course they will if 
Jesus tells them to.” 

“You know him now,” said Bar-joses with a de- 
lighted expression ; “ it was you he healed, wasn’t it ? 
Everybody is talking about it.” 

“ Yes, he healed me, but I don’t know him to speak 
to,” said Antipas. “ I would give all I have, my Ara- 
bian and all, to sit in a boat with him as you did that 
night.” 

“ And I wouldn’t take all you’ve got to give up 
knowing him and being with him now and then,” said 
Bar-joses. “ I would rather he spoke to me and looked 
at me the way he does sometimes than anything in the 
world.” 

They watched the boat in silence, saw the two fisher- 
men let down the net and began to draw it in, full of 
shining fish. Bar-joses sprang up. 

“ They are beckoning for their partners, my masters,” 
he said. “I must go and see if I can help.” 

He ran along the beach, but in a moment Antipas 
saw another boat put out, and in an incredibly short 
time both boats were loaded to the water’s edge. And 
^s they drew near to shore Antipas saw one of the men 


102 


CAPERNAUM. 


(it was Simon) fall upon his knees, and heard him ex- 
claim : 

“ Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord ! ” 

Antipas was only a boy ; he had never thought much 
about sin, but suddenly it seemed to him that he could 
understand how that fisherman felt; that sin was the 
one thing that he would not dare to bring into the pres- 
ence of Jesus. But Jesus did not say anything to Simon 
about his sins ; he only looked at him with great kind- 
ness, and said in an encouraging tone, “ Do not fear ; 
from this time forward you shall catch men.” 

As Antipas walked homeward along the shore he 
met Bar-joses again. “ Jesus has called them to leave 
everything and follow him for good and all,” he ex- 
claimed eagerly, “ all four of them, Simon and Andrew 
who were in the boat with him, and my master’s sons, 
James and John. Aren’t they happy men ! But I am 
happy, too, for old Zebedee will need me more than ever, 
and I shall have harder work to do.” 

“ Why are you glad of that ? ” asked Antipas. 

“ Why, won’t that be working for the Master as much 
as if I were following him ? ” asked Bar-joses. 

“ Yet I would rather be with him,” said Antipas. 

“ I would rather serve him than anything,” returned 
Bar-joses, “and he knows best what lie wants of me. 
And perhaps now and then I may be with him, and 
even do some little thing to help him, though I 
never be such a disciple as James or John will be.” 


can 


CHAPTER XVI. 


HOW THE LORD TAUGHT THAT THE KINGDOM WAS ONE 
OF LOYE. 

Antipas was the happiest boy in all Capernaum, for 
when he brought home to his parents the account of 
what had taken place on the lake, they both said at 
once that they must see Jesus, to thank him for what 
he had done for them in healing their son. That very 
evening they all went together to look for him. 

They found him in a little house down by the lake- 
side, and with him a woman of a sweet and dignified 
countenance who they knew at once must be his mother. 
Their hearts were so full of gratitude that, though both 
Chuza and Joanna were people who knew just what was 
right and proper to say on all occasions, they found it 
hard to put their thanks into words. But Jesus seemed 
to know what they wanted to say, and to answer the 
very thoughts of their hearts. The father and mother 
of Antipas went home with full conviction that Jesus 
of Nazareth was the Messiah of their people. 

The very next Sabbath they heard him preach. On 
the way to the synagogue Antipas noticed that every 
one was talking about his wonderful sermons, and they 
found the synagogue crowded, as it always was when a 
popular preacher was expected. 


( 103 ) 


104 


CAPEENAUM. 


But Jesus did uot preach like any one whom Antipas 
or even his father had ever heard. The preachers of 
that day always bolstered up their teachings by what this 
or that celebrated Babbi had said ; none of them ever 
thought of speaking as if he could himself explain the 
law of God, or judge of what was right or wrong. But 
Jesus spoke as if he had authority to pronounce upon 
such things. And some things he said, though they 
were so clear and simple that Antipas understood every 
w r ord, surprised him very much, and he could see 
that other people were surprised, too. This was especi- 
ally the case when Jesus said such words as these : 

44 Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time ” 
(to the Israelites by Moses, he meant), 44 4 Thou shalt 
love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy but I say 
unto you, Love your enemies and pray for them that 
persecute you, that ye may be the children of your 
Father which is in heaven, for He maketli His sun to 
rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the 
just and the unjust.” 

Such teaching as this Antipas had never heard. He 
had supposed that it was right for people to hate their 
enemies and for Jews to hate and despise Gentiles; he 
had supposed that God loved only good people, and it 
seemed very strange when Jesus taught that the Heaven- 
ly Father loves and cares for every one, whether he is 
good or bad, and proved that God is infinitely loving 
by reminding them that He even feeds the birds of the 
air, that do not sow nor reap, nor gather into barns. 
44 Are ye not of much more value than they ? ” he asked, 


CONFUSION IN THE SYNAGOGUE. 


105 


looking around upon them all with an expression so full 
of confidence, such perfect certainty that what he said 
was true, and at the same time so full of love to those 
to whom he spoke, that not one present but felt that it 
must be true. And they forgot about their enemies and 
thought only of the love of God when he went on to say 
to them, “ Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall 
we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we 
be clothed? For your Heavenly Father knoweth that 
ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first His 
kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall 
be added to you.” Antipas thought of the four fisher- 
men, James and John, Simon and Andrew, who had 
left all to follow Jesus and seek for the kingdom ; he 
longed for the time when he too might leave all and 
follow him. 

Suddenly there was a great confusion in the syna- 
gogue ; a man sprang up, and with wild eyes, in an un- 
earthly scream that sounded like no human voice, cried 
out, “ Ah, what have we to do with you, Jesus of Naz- 
areth ? Are you come to destroy us ? ” Antipas clung 
to his father in terror, for he had been taught that those 
unhappy wretches whom he had sometimes met, raving 
and saying horrible things, had been taken possession of 
by demons, and brave boy though he was, he could not 
look without terror on one so awfully afflicted. This 
man fell into hideous contortions, and his voice rose to a 
frightful shriek as he exclaimed, “ I know who you are, 
the Holy One of God ! ” 

Every one was trembling and backing away from the 


106 


CAPERNAUM. 


unfortunate creature. Even Chuza put his arm round 
his son and looked about for a place of safety, but the 
voice of Jesus was heard, very quiet but very command- 
ing, “ Hold your peace and come out of him.” 

The man fell upon the floor writhing in pain ; then 
suddenly he arose, exhausted and trembling but unin- 
jured in any respect, perfectly calm and well, no longer 
in the power of any evil spirit. Amazement took pos- 
session of the whole congregation ; exclamations burst 
forth from many lips. “ What is this % ” “ A new 

teaching ! ” “ He not only interprets the Scriptures 

with authority, but also exercises authority over the evil 
spirits.” 

The excitement was intense ; every one was exclaim- 
ing, wondering, forgetting all about the service for 
which they had come there ; but as one by one they 
looked at Jesus they grew calm ; for all of them saw 
what Antipas saw — such a look of kindly power, such a 
radiance of loving triumph, such perfect command of 
himself and of all that was happening, that they felt 
their own souls grow confident and strong in his strength 
and peace. 

After the service was over the congregation gathered 
together in groups and talked about the cure of the man 
who had a demon, and went among their friends and 
talked about it, so that the whole city was ringing with 
the news of this wonderful deed, and very few people 
thought at all of the wonderful teaching they had re- 
ceived. 

It was of this, however, that the parents of Antipas 


THE RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE PERPLEXED. 107 


were talking after they went home : of the Kingdom in 
which all people would love their enemies, and in which 
the Heavenly Father’s love and power would provide 
for all wants ; they were debating whether in that case 
it was not indeed the duty of everybody to seek before 
all things else the coming of that Kingdom. While 
they were conversing thus in the upper chamber on the 
roof, where they were sitting to enjoy the winter sun, 
they were joined by some friends who came to talk 
with them of the strange events of the morning. 

These friends were Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, 
with his wife Pachel and their little daughter Tabitha. 
Tabitha was about the age of ’Anti pas, and they had 
played together all their lives, neither of them having 
sisters or brothers. As Tabitha’s father was the ruler of 
the synagogue, he was of course very much concerned 
with everything that took place there. He had become 
interested in Jesus, first through the healing of Antipas, 
and then through the reports of his preaching, and had 
invited him to preach that day ; but he hardly knew what 
to think of the wonderful cure which he had there per- 
formed, and he wanted to talk it over with Chuza. Al- 
though Jairus was a Pharisee, and therefore very zealous 
for the law, and though the Pharisees had added a 
hundred minute regulations to the commandment to 
keep the Sabbath holy, neither he nor any Jew objected 
to friendly visiting upon the Sabbath day, provided the 
distance was not more than a “ Sabbath day’s journey ” 
(about a mile). Indeed, they encouraged everything 
that tended to make men call the Sabbath a delight, so 


108 


CAPERNAUM. 


long as it did not add to any one’s work, because they 
held the Sabbath to be a festival and a day of special 
gladness. 

While the parents talked together, Antipas led Tabltha 
to another part of the roof, for he wanted to tell her 
what he knew about Jesus without disturbing the con- 
versation of the elder folk. But they had not been talk- 
ing long when they heard a hubbub in the court below, 
and in a few minutes old Mirza came up to say that an- 
other wonder had happened ; that immediately after the 
synagogue service Jesus had healed of a great fever the 
mother-in-law of his disciple, Simon the fisherman — 
healed her so perfectly that she had at once risen and 
waited upon them at their noon-day meal. The city was 
in a ferment of excitement, Mirza said, only waiting for 
sunset and the close of the Sabbath to bring all sick 
people to Jesus to be healed. 

When Jairus and his family had gone home and the 
sun had set, and Chuza had solemnly “ separated ” the 
week-day from the holy time, Joanna yielded to Anti- 
pas’s eager request and went out with him to see what 
Jesus was doing. They already knew the way to his 
house, but if they had not, they could easily have found 
it, for the streets were full of people going in one direc- 
tion ; mothers with sick babies in their arms, fathers 
carrying older children, sons and daughters helping in- 
valid or suffering parents on the way, wives supporting 
the feeble steps of sick husbands or husbands of sick 
wives, and others, three or four together, bringing poor 
creatures who were possessed with demons to join the 


JESUS FULFILLING PROPHECY. 


109 


group already gathered around the door of the humble lit- 
tle house by the lakeside. Jesus was standing before the 
door, a little boy was clinging to his robe, and behind 
him were grouped his disciples. Antipas and his mother 
stopped at a short distance, yet not so far away but that 
they could see the gentle touch and hear the gracious 
words with which Jesus healed all these poor sufferers. 
His eyes were glowing brightly, his face was radiant 
with a holy joy, and to Antipas it seemed as if his form 
grew more and more commanding as one after another 
the sick rose up and went away healed, with loud ex- 
clamations of thanksgiving. 

They stood thus watching until the night had fallen 
and the moon had risen, and Chuza had come out to 
look for them. “ See how he is fulfilling prophecy ! ” 
he said in a low voice to Antipas after he had gazed for 
a few moments on Jesus. “ It is just what Isaiah said 
of the Messiah, ‘ Himself took our infirmities and bore 
our diseases.’ ” 

“ He looks weary, too,” murmured Joanna, “ as if the 
burden were a heavy one.” 

“Why not?” asked Chuza; “you, my Joanna, who 
are so full of sympathy, can easily understand that he 
must really suffer with the sufferings and sorrows of 
each one, to be able thus to remove them with a word.” 

“ And what a word ! ” exclaimed Joanna clasping her 
hands. “ Who ever heard such music of tenderness as 
rings in the tones of his voice ! ” 

They would not speak to him, though they waited 
till the last sufferer had gone away ; they knew he 


110 


CAPERNAUM. 


needed rest and quiet. But they little thought how he 
got his rest — not by sleeping long and soundly, as any 
of them would have done, but by rising a great while 
before day and going out to a deserted place where no 
one would interrupt him, and there spending hours in 
prayer to God. For Jesus knew the true way to get 
rested and refreshed. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


HOW THE LORD WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD. 

All four of the Galilean fishermen had obeyed with 
joy the call of Jesus to leave all and follow him. They 
knew him well enough now to understand something of 
what it meant. They knew that since the new partner- 
ship they had formed, and the extending of their business 
by the arrangements John had made in Jerusalem, they 
had a fair prospect of amassing very comfortable fortunes 
if they continued in their business ; but these thoughts 
did not make them hesitate. Some of their friends who, 
as well as they, believed that Jesus was the Messiah, 
tried to convince them that they could really serve him 
better by sticking to their business and getting rich, 
urging that Jesus would have need of large sums when 
once he was quite ready to set up his kingdom. The four 
fishermen had only one answer to all these arguments : 
“ The Master knows what he wants of us and how we 
can serve him best.” 

Of course they looked forward to a glorious reward 
when Jesus should indeed set up his kingdom and they 
should share its honors and joys with him. But they 
knew that that must be in the far distant future ; they 
had already learned enough to understand that his king- 
dom must be a kingdom of holiness, and they knew the 

( 111 ) 


112 


CAPERNAUM. 


Jewish people were very far from holy. So there was, 
they knew, a long period of poverty and hard work be- 
tween them and the glories of the kingdom. And they 
gladly obeyed the call of Jesus to share his poverty and 
toil. ^ 

But in the night after this Sabbath of miracles John 
especially was fall of joy. His love for his Master had 
grown with every hour he had spent with him in the 
short tour they had made since Jesus called them, and 
now the wonderful works that he had done filled the 
enthusiastic youth with confidence that his Master would 
soon win all hearts as he had won his own. He did not 
stop to consider that it was not by any wondrous work 
that Jesus had won his own heart ; that he had been 
drawn to him before Jesus had ever done anything won- 
derful ; he forgot all that, and only felt exultation in the 
thought that one who was able to do such mighty works 
must soon command the loving obedience of all men. 
With proud delight he saw the people assembling around 
the door of Jesus’ house in the early dawn of the next 
morning. He was hastening that way himself when he 
met Simon Peter, who looked anxious and worried. 

“ He isn’t there ! ” Peter exclaimed. “ He has gone 
off to some desert place to pray. We must find him at 
once ; he is losing the opportunity of his life. Go you 
to the westward, John, and seek for him in the direction 
of the Yalley of Doves. I will hasten to that deserted 
place north of the town where he sometimes goes ; we 
must lose no time. ” 

But when Peter and Andrew and James at last found 
Jesus he would not return to Capernaum. “ Let us go 








SYRIAN SHEPHERDS 



THE FIRST TOUR IN GALILEE. 


113 


to some other towns that I may preach there,” he said ; 
for he desired to proclaim the good news of the kingdom 
as widely as possible. And so, making a circuit around 
the city to meet John, they set out on a preaching tour 
through the villages which in that day were thickly 
clustered beside all the great highways and up and down 
the hills and valleys of Galilee. 

The synagogues were always open on Monday and 
Thursday, which were market days, that the country 
folk might hear the Word of God, and twice during the 
week days Jesus had an opportunity to preach. And he 
taught every day, for wherever he went a little group 
would gather around him, attracted by the beauty of his 
countenance and the gracious charm of his manner. 
Sometimes he met one of those poor afflicted ones who 
were, or seemed to be, possessed by demons, for at that 
time there were no asylums for such afflicted people, and 
they therefore roamed the highways, a terror to every 
one. Whenever he met them he always healed them ; 
and so by degrees the report of these cures ran before 
him, and all the village people would come eagerly to 
meet him and would listen gladly to his teachings. 

John, who with devoted love and intense expectation 
hung upon every word of his, soon began to notice that 
Jesus did not say much about being himself the Mes- 
siah ; he rather described what the kingdom of God was 
like, and what those people must be like who belonged 
to it ; teaching that men must be saved from sin before 
they could be members of the kingdom. Even the 
cures that he wrought seemed to be wrought not only 
for the sake of relieving pain, but also to show the 


114 


THE VILLAGES OF GALILEE. 


power of holiness over sin and the effects of sin ; for sin, 
John and all the disciples knew, was the cause of disease 
as well as of all other woes. 

One day as they were approaching a village they saw 
a leper. This was not an uncommon sight, for this ter- 
rible disease was in the time of Jesus an awful scourge, 
as it still is, in the East. Devout Jews, like John and 
his companions, knew that leprosy was a type of sin, for 
it separated him who had it from all who had it not, and 
it was incurable, gradually eating into the whole body 
till it became a mass of corruption. Like sin, too, it was 
contagious, so that to be with one who was afflicted by 
it was not safe. The lepers were always driven out of 
their homes, and even out of their towns ; they lived 
together in wretched colonies, in tombs, or other unclean 
places, and it was the law that when they saw any one ap- 
proaching they must warn him with the cry, “ Unclean, 
unclean ! ” 

But, to John’s horror, this leper did nothing of the 
kind. lie came toward them running, and threw him- 
self upon his knees before Jesus, crying out, “ Lord, if 
you will you can make me clean ! ” The disciples all 
started back in loathing and terror, for a touch would be 
pollution. But Jesus did not seem to fear pollution. 
A look of heavenly compassion came into his face. He 
bent forward and laid his hand upon the poor disfigured 
head and said in tones of divine sweetness : “ I do will 
it ; be made clean ! ” 

In an instant a marvelous change took place. The 
loathsome disfigurement passed away ; the man was 
healed, and he fell upon his face with sobs of joy and 


THE SECRET OF STRENGTH AND JOY. 115 


thanksgiving. But Jesus calmed his excitement by re- 
minding him that he had now his part to do — to show 
himself to the priests and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiv- 
ing, as the law of Moses commanded. And so the healed 
leper went away, and the disciples hardly dared speak to 
Jesus for awe at what he had done. For they perceived 
that though he had laid his hand upon that leper he yet 
had not been polluted ; they saw that there is a goodness 
so perfect that it can move among sinners and not be 
less good. And the ardent John gained a new glimpse 
into the holiness of self-sacrificing Jove, and learned that 
perfect love, which thinks nothing of self but only of 
those who need, cannot be defiled by loving any one, 
no matter how sinful and unclean. 

These tours of teaching and healing were always 
short. On Fridays they went back to Capernaum for 
the Sabbath. Sometimes on that day Jesus would go 
to Chuza’s house. And when he came, weary from a 
week’s hard work, it was to Joanna the sweetest priv- 
ilege to wait upon him, to see that her servants had all 
things ready for his refreshment, and then to sit beside 
him and hear him talk, or to sit silent beside him while 
he was silently resting. At such times it seemed to her, 
and to Anti pas also, as if they could almost feel the joy 
that filled his heart; both mother and son began to 
realize that it was because he felt the presence of God 
that he had such joy and such strength to do good. 
What would it matter to be weary and hungry, to have 
even no place to lay your head at night, so long as God 
was with you? This was what Antipas began to learn 
from being sometimes with Jesus. 


CHAPTER XYIII. 


HOW EZRA WAS RESTORED TO HEALTH BY THE FORGIVE- 
NESS OF HIS SINS. 

There were other people in Capernaum who looked 
forward to the Sabbath because then Jesus would be 
there— but none were happier when the Sabbath came 
than little Janna. He came always to Mary’s every 
Friday afternoon that he might be there when Jesus 
arrived, before the Sabbath trumpets sounded and the 
Sabbath lamps were lit. Even if J esus spent the Sab- 
bath with Simon Peter or at the house of Zebedee or 
Chuza, he still always came home to his mother first for 
a little talk with her, and then he would take Janna in 
his arms and bless him, and that was enough to make 
the little boy happy all the week. 

Janna’s father was now perfectly helpless — a para- 
lytic, unable to move hand or foot. Ruth used to think 
with tears that if it were any other disease she might 
help him go to Jesus and be cured ; she would even 
have asked Jesus to come and cure him. Though she 
had known Jesus ever since she was a little girl playing 
with him in the market place of Nazareth, she hardly 
dared speak to any one of it, so much sought after as he 
was now. Chuza’s was not the only fine house to which 
he was invited. Many of the rich Pharisees sent for 
( 116 ) 


EZRA LONGS TO HEAR JESUS PREACH. 117 


him to visit them, and he sometimes went, though he 
was much more often among the poor and suffering. 
But even if he should come to see her, Ruth did not 
believe that he could heal one entirely paralyzed as Ezra 
was, although he bad done so many wonderful cures. 
Ruth had not yet heard of his healing the leper. 

Ezra did not think Jesus could heal him either, but 
he longed to hear him preach. Before he fell ill he 
had been greatly troubled with the sins of Israel, feel- 
ing that the Messiah would not come until all the sin- 
ners had repented ; but since he had lain there on his 
bed of helplessness, he had come to see that he was him- 
self a sinful man. And when he saw this his agony of 
mind was very great. He heard that Jesus preached in 
the synagogues about the forgiveness of sins and about 
a Saviour from sin, and he ardently longed to hear him 
preach. But that seemed to be impossible. 

“ Why don’t you get some one to take you to Jesus, 
father?” little Janna would ask. “He would make 
you well.” But Ezra was so burdened with a sense of 
sin that he hardly cared any longer about getting well. 
If only his sins could be forgiven ! 

Janna could not give up the thought that Jesus could 
cure his father, and he told the other boys what he was 
thinking. So it happened that one day Bar-joses, going 
of an errand, stopped in at Janna’s house and told them 
that Jesus had unexpectedly come home, though it was 
not the eve of the Sabbath, and was at Zebedee’s house, 
talking to some of the rabbis about the forgiveness of 
sins. When Ezra heard this he groaned and said, “ Oh, 


118 


CAPERNAUM. 


if I could only hear him,” and Bar-joses noticed that 
tears came into Ruth’s eyes. Bar-joses was a quick- 
witted boy, and besides, he loved so much to hear Jesus 
talk that he was full of sympathy with one who from 
long illness had never been able to hear him. 

“ Ezra,” he said, “ I don’t see why you shouldn’t go. 
There are plenty of neighbors who would be willing 
enough to carry you to Zebedee’s house on your bed. 
I’ll go ask some of them.” And he ran off without 
waiting for an answer, leaving Ezra all agitation with 
hope and fear. 

It was some little time before Bar-joses came back, 
but when he came there were four men with him, 
neighbors of Ezra, who pitied him for being perfectly 
helpless while still in the very prime of life. Yes in- 
deed, they said, they would be glad enough to take him 
to Jesus; and they felt sure that Jesus could heal him. 
After all, it could not be harder to cure paralysis than 
to cast out a demon. And so they lifted up the four 
corners of his bed and carried Ezra away, Ruth and 
Janna with Bar-joses following. 

But all this had taken time, and meanwhile the 
rumor that Jesus was at Zebedee’s house had flown like 
wildfire all over the city, and people had come together 
in crowds to hear him. When Ezra’s party reached the 
street in which Zebedee lived they found it so thronged 
that they could hardly make their way through to the 
door, and there they had to stop. They could not pos- 
sibly squeeze through the narrow passageway that led 
into the court. 


EZRA IS BROUGHT TO JESUS. 


119 


Ezra’s neighbors were honestly sorry ; they had be- 
gun to take an interest in the helpless man, and did not 
like the thought of carrying him back unhealed. Yet 
what could they do ? 

Bar-joses suddenly made a suggestion. He knew his 
master’s house, knew precisely on what part of the gal- 
lery Jesus must be standing, preaching to those who 
were assembled in the rooms as well as in the court be- 
low. Why not go up by the outer stair to the roof, and 
across it to that part of the gallery where Jesus stood ? 
It would be a simple thing to take up some of the slight 
covering of the gallery and lower the sick man to Jesus’ 
feet. 

The look of gratitude that Ezra cast upon him was 
enough to repay Bar-joses for all his trouble, if he had 
needed payment; but where could he find greater pleas- 
ure than in helping people to come to Jesus ? And so 
he joyfully led the way up the outer stair. 

Antipas was in the gallery not very far from Jesus. 
For by this time the fame of Jesus’ doings had reached 
Jerusalem, and some of the rabbis and doctors of the 
law had come to Capernaum to inquire about it. They 
had by no means forgotten his cleansing the Temple, 
nearly a year before, nor what it meant, and little as 
they desired a Messiah who, instead of raising the nation 
up to great power, merely went about doing good, they 
felt that it w r as very important for them to know just 
what he was teaching, and precisely what he proposed 
in the end to do. 

So they had come to Capernaum, and as some of 


120 


CAPERNAUM. 


them were well acquainted with Chuza, through his 
wife’s uncle, Nicodemus, they were received into his 
house ; and he had gone with them to hear Jesus teach. 
Antipas had been permitted to go too, and as these 
Jerusalem visitors were honored guests, they had all 
been given seats upon the gallery very near to where 
Jesus stood. 

What was their surprise, in the midst of his teach- 
ings, to hear sounds as if somebody was at work upon 
the roof, and then to see the light streaming down 
through an opening ! It was only for a moment, and 
then the opening was filled by a pallet which was slowly 
and carefully let down to the very feet of Jesus. 

There lay a poor paralytic, utterly unable to move, 
his eyes fixed upon Jesus’ face with an expression of 
such burning eagerness as touched every heart. Anti- 
pas, who knew so well the sensation of sudden healing, 
looked confidently to Jesus for the word of command, 
and it was with surprise that he heard, not u Arise and 
walk,” as he had expected, but “ Be consoled, son, your 
sins are forgiven you.” “ How disappointed the poor 
man must be ! ” Antipas thought ; but looking at him 
he saw a look of such perfect joy upon his face, such an 
expression of rapture in the eyes that were fixed upon 
Jesus, that the boy came, in that moment, suddenly to 
see that to have one’s sins forgiven was more than to be 
healed of even the most hopeless disease. 

But around Antipas, between him and Jesus, there 
had been a movement of horror, the scribes and rabbis 
exchanging glances which seemed to say, “ Blasphemy ! ” 


ezka’s soul and body healed. 


121 


and whispering among themselves, “Who can forgive 
sins but God?” And at this Jesus turned and looked 
at them with a surprise so sorrowful that it seemed as 
if it must have moved them to self-reproach. 

“ Why do you think evil in your hearts ? ” he asked. 
“ Which is easier, to say, * Thy sins are forgiven,’ or to 
say, * Arise and walk ’ ? ” 

No one made any reply ; to say one was indeed as 
easy as to say the other ; and who would dare say 
either who had not the power to do the thing? Jesus 
waited a moment for his answer, and then, as none came, 
he went on, “ But that you may know that the Son of 
Man has power on earth to forgive sin,” he paused, 
and turning to the sick man he said, in a voice that sent 
a thrill through every one that heard, “ Arise, take up 
your bed, and go to your house.” 

As if suddenly recalled from some ecstatic dream, 
Ezra started up, his eyes fixed on those of Jesus. He 
rose to a sitting posture, then to his feet ; then stooping, 
he gathered up his pallet and, rolling it up, turned with- 
out a word to go. Perfect obedience was, he felt, the 
best thanks for such a gift as this. 

But the great multitude who were listening to Jesus’ 
teachings were struck with amazement. “We never 
saw it like this before ! ” “We have seen strange things 
to-day ! ” they said to one another, as they moved back 
and made a way for Ezra to pass with his pallet on his 
shoulder. Standing where they were outside the door, 
Butli and little Janna knew that something strange had 
occurred — men were crowding out through the narrow 


122 


CAPERNAUM. 


passageway talking in excited tones. And then they 
saw Ezra, walking upright, with a look of great joy 
upon his face and his rolled-up pallet upon his shoulder. 

“Jesus has cured him ! ” exclaimed Janna in delight. 
u I knew that Jesus would cure him ; ” but by the light 
upon Ezra’s face Euth knew there was more than this, 
and when he came to her and said, “ He has forgiven my 
sins, Euth,” she drew her veil over her face to hide her 
tears of joy. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


HOW ANTIPAS BECAME A SON OF THE COMMANDMENT. 

The Passover time had come round again, and Anti- 
pas had gone up with his parents to Jerusalem. It was 
a solemn time for them all, for Antipas having passed 
his thirteenth birthday, the boy was now formally re- 
ceived in the temple as Bar Mizvah, a Son of the Com- 
mandment, and entered upon the estate of legal man- 
hood as a member of the Congregation of Israel. 

Jesus did not go up to the Passover this year ; why, 
Antipas did not know, nor did his parents, but their 
uncle Hicodemus, who appeared to be very much in- 
terested in all they could tell him of Jesus, was of the 
opinion that he kept away because the scribes and chief 
priests were not friendly to him. “ There was a good 
deal of disturbance among us when those who went 
from here to Capernaum brought an account of the 
healing of that paralytic man,” he said. “That Jesus 
took it upon himself to forgive sins seemed blasphemous 
to nearly all in the Sanhedrin.” 

“ But he is the Messiah, Uncle Nicodemus,” said An- 
tipas ; “ he has the right to forgive sins.” 

Nicodemus did not answer, and presently Chuza 
asked if the rulers were disposed to admit that Jesus 
was the Messiah. 

. “You know how it is, Chuza,” answered the old man. 

( 123 ) 


124 


JERUSALEM. 


“ Few of the chief priests are patriotic ; they are Sad- 
ducees and not very earnest in religion ; they are friend- 
ly with Rome because under its rule they are prosperous 
and influential. They do not want the Messiah to come 
in their day and disturb the present state of things.” 

“ But the Scribes, uncle,” said Joanna, “ they are not 
like that.” 

“No, not the Scribes and Pharisees,” answered Nico- 
demus. “We are longing for the Messiah, of course, 
but most of our party want one who will lead the peo- 
ple in shaking ofl the yoke of Rome, and restore the 
ancient prosperity of our nation as it was under Solomon ; 
and Jesus seems not to be thinking of anything of the 
kind.” 

“He is wise too in that,” said Cliuza. “To rise 
against Rome now would be madness.” 

“If you knew him, Uncle Nicodemus,” said Joanna, 
“if you could see how he is drawing men to himself by 
his holiness and his good deeds, you would see that his 
kingdom is already wider than Solomon’s — a kingdom 
of hearts, a kingdom of holiness.” 

Nicodemus hesitated a moment and then said, softly, 
“ I do know him.” 

“ You, uncle ! ” exclaimed Antipas with delight. “ Oh, 
then you know that he is truly the Messiah.” Nicode- 
mus made no reply. 

“Where did you meet him, uncle?” asked Chuza 
with interest. 

“ I went to him by night,” said Nicodemus, “ last 
year after he cleansed the temple ; and he told me ” — 


MESSIANIC HOPES OF VARIOUS CLASSES. 125 


the old rabbi hesitated, his face softened and his voice 
grew reverent — “ he told me that God so loved the 
world that He gave His only-begotten Son that whoso- 
ever believed might have eternal life.” 

They were all too much moved to speak, but finally 
Chuza said, laying his hand upon Antipas’s head, “ His 
only-begotten Son ! We know that the Messiah must 
be endowed with the Spirit of God in full measure and 
so in a special sense a Son of God ; but His only-be- 
gotten Son ! I cannot understand it ; but what a revela- 
tion of the love of God ! ” 

Antipas saw Mark several times while they were in 
Jerusalem ; he had not forgotten J esus, and was never 
tired of hearing Antipas’s stories of him. He was very 
eager to have Jesus rise up against Rome. Living as 
he did where the power of the Roman government was 
seen and felt all the time, he naturally thought more 
about this than Antipas, whose father belonged to 
Herod’s court, and who was, therefore, used from his 
boyhood to thinking that things were all right as they 
were. In Galilee people did not think so much about 
Rome, the Tetrarch Herod being not a Roman, and, bad 
as he was, in fact more than half a Jew ; but in Jerusa- 
lem, where the Roman Governor had a palace in which 
he lived a part of the year, especially at feast times, and 
where there was always a strong guard of Roman sol- 
diers in the tower of Antonia keeping watch on all that 
went on in the temple, the mass of the people felt the 
Roman rule to be a bitter thing. And Mark’s parents 


126 


JERUSALEM. 


and all his friends were of that devout class to which 
Zebedee’s family and Ezra’s belonged, to whom religion 
and patriotism were one, and who longed intensely for 
the Messiah to come and establish an earthly kingdom 
of righteousness. These things Mark and Antipas often 
talked about when they were together. 

Besides this, there was for Antipas the delight of ex- 
ploring Jerusalem under Mark’s direction, especially of 
going to the places mentioned in the Scriptures, where 
interesting events in the history of Israel had taken 
place. This at least was Mark’s way of looking at 
them ; for Antipas there was a still deeper interest in 
thinking how it would be when Jesus came at length to 
Jerusalem, after every Israelitish heart had learned to 
own him for Lord. Then, he thought, Jesus would be 
King of the souls of all men, and Jerusalem would be 
the seat of an empire before which Rome’s would fall 
to nothing, with not a blow struck in war. These were 
the thoughts that occupied the boy during his second 
Passover season. 


CHAPTER XX. 


HOW THE LORD JESUS BEGAN TO SET UP HIS KINGDOM. 

Bar-joses had often noticed the publican, Matthew, 
whom he had first seen, sitting at the place of toll, the 
day he went to the Jordan. Sometimes wnen Jesus had 
been going out with James or John or Peter for an 
hour’s rest upon the lake, and Bar-joses had been per- 
mitted to go to help with the ropes or the oars, the boy 
had observed that Jesus had stopped and said a word or 
two to the despised tax-gatherer. And so when, one 
evening as they were coming home, Jesus said to Mat- 
thew, “ Follow me,” Bar-joses, loving Jesus as he did, 
was not surprised that Matthew at once rose up and, 
carrying all his money and books to the customs office 
near by, gave up his position and followed Jesus. 

It was not long after this that the boy, roaming the 
streets after nightfall as boys love to do, saw Jesus pass 
along by the road that led to the mountain back of the 
town. The boy knew well why the Master was going 
there ; it was where Jesus often went to be alone with 
God ; and that night, as Bar-joses lay on the ground 
under the gallery of Zebedee’s house, rolled up in the 
striped abbas that was both bed and covering to boys 
like him, he woke more often that usual and, looking up 
to the great lustrous stars, thought how they were shin 
ing on Jesus alone on the mountain in prayer to God. 

( 127 ) 


128 


CAPERNAUM. 


When he went to his work in the morning he heard 
that the four fishermen and Matthew had followed Jesus 
to the mountain. 

He had been busy for some hours carrying fish to 
customers, but it was still early when he met Antipas 
coming home from a ride. 

“ The Master must be up on the mountain,” Antipas 
said. “ As I came back from my ride I saw such a 
number of people going out that way and carrying their 
sick folk with them. I am going to ask my mother if I 
may go. Can’t you go too ? ” 

The fisher boy’s morning duties were finished, and 
before long the two friends had set out, walking along 
the lake and then up the steep hillsides, covered with 
palms and pomegranates, and so up the slopes where 
the close growing flowers were so thick as to make a 
bright carpet, and the trees above their heads were me- 
lodious with the singing of birds. And there they found 
Jesus. He was coming down from the higher ground 
accompanied by a number of men — no less than twelve 
in all, as the boys counted them ; James and John and 
Andrew and Simon Peter and Matthew, and also Philip, 
Andrew’s friend who had been with Jesus at the 
Jordan, and Nathanael from Cana, and Judas, a dark- 
browed man who had followed Jesus from Judea, and 
several others whom Antipas had never seen, but whom 
Bar-joses knew, for in his capacity of errand-boy he had 
come to know almost every one. Three of them, he 
told Antipas, were connections of Jesus, named James 
and Judas Lebbseus and Simon, sons of Clopas, his 


THE CORNERSTONE LAID. 


129 


mother Mary’s husband’s brother, and the fourth was 
Thomas, whom he had sometimes seen with Matthew. 

As Jesus and the twelve came down the hill, loud 
cries of greeting and entreaty went up from the waiting 
crowd. “ King Messiah ! ” “ Hail, Master ! ” “ Jesus, 
Master, have mercy on us ! ” and soon the cries of en- 
treaty changed into exclamations of thanksgiving as 
Jesus went from one to another and laid his hands on 
them, or spoke a healing word, and their pains and dis- 
eases left them. 

While this was taking place the boys drew nearer to 
the twelve, who stood a little apart, all wearing an ex- 
pression of such deep solemnity that neither Antipas 
nor Bar-joses felt as if he might speak to any of them. 
But presently John saw them and came to where they 
were. He too looked deeply solemn, but there was 
an exultation, a lofty enthusiasm in his face which could 
not but impress even a boy so young as Antipas. 

“ He has taken the first step,” said John in an in- 
tense tone, as if he were deeply moved. “ He has laid 
the cornerstone of the kingdom. And it does seem to 
be time. See how widely his fame has gone abroad. 
Why, in this multitude about him at this moment there 
are people not only from Capernaum and all Galilee, 
but from Judea and Jerusalem and from Idumaea and 
even from about Tyre and Sidon.” 

“ What do you mean by 6 laid the cornerstone of his 
kingdom ’ ? ” asked Bar-joses. 

John’s face grew yet more solemn as he said, “ He 
has chosen twelve of us who have been learning from 


130 


A HILL NEAR CAPERNAUM. 


him, and he has appointed us to be Apostles, and we are 
to be always with him, except as he sends us forth in 
due time in different directions to preach, with authority 
to cast out demons.” 

John’s eyes sparkled, his cheeks glowed, his whole 
frame seemed to thrill with awed excitement. The 
boys were excited too, although it was impossible for 
them to enter into the feelings of the ardent youth upon 
whom the consecrating hand of his Lord had just been 
laid. 

But now the sick were all healed. The ejaculations 
of praise and wonder were silenced. Jesus moved back 
and took his seat upon a little eminence and called the 
twelve to come and sit around him. Then the vast 
multitude drew near and sat down upon the grass to 
hear him, Antipas and Bar-joses with many other chil- 
dren in front. 

And then Jesus gave to his twelve disciples first, but 
also to those who listened, and indeed to the whole 
world for that time and for all time until he shall come 
again, the law of the kingdom. 

His first word thrilled through every heart : “ Bless- 
ed ! ” Looking around upon them with a majesty that 
showed him a true law-giver, and yet with a love that 
made every one who heard him feel that he was listen- 
ing to a friend, “Blessed,” he said, “are the poor in 
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are 
they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed 
are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed 
are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, 


THE LAW OF THE KINGDOM. 


131 


for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for 
they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, 
for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, 
for they shall be called the children of God.” This was 
how he described the citizens of his kingdom. 

Then he reminded them that their attempts to per- 
suade others to be citizens too would often bring them 
into trouble : “ Blessed are they which are persecuted 
for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of 
heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and 
persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against 
you falsely, for my sake. Bejoice and be exceeding 
glad ; for great is your reward in heaven ; for so perse- 
cuted they the prophets which were before you.” They 
would meet with opposition sharp and bitter, with perse- 
cution even, but in persecution they should still rejoice, 
seeing it was for their Master’s sake ; and he would give 
them their reward. 

While these words were floating on the air in tones of 
such sweetness and love that to many it seemed as if an 
angel were speaking, suddenly there rose up before the 
mind of John a picture of another mount, one that had 
burned with fire and smoke and that was terrible with 
lightnings, and from which an awful voice had been 
heard saying, “ Thou shalt not ! ” Ah, how different 
was the law of the kingdom from the law of Sinai! 
How different this gracious Master from the Messiah 
John had once expected, smiting his enemies with the 
sword of his mouth ! 

But the old law was not to be done away, Jesus said, 
for it was the law of God. “ Think not that I came to 


132 


A HILL NEAR CAPERNAUM. 


destroy tlie law or the prophets : I came not to destroy, 
but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven 
and earth pass away one jot or one tittle shall in no wise 
pass away from the law till all be fulfilled.” 

Fulfilled ! all the old law at last understood, and so all 
its commandments perfectly obeyed ! The spirit of love, 
love to God and love to man, which would be in every 
member of the kingdom, would make it possible for 
them to keep the law, for after all the old law was love. 
This was what Jesus went on to teach, showing what 
was the real spirit of one and then another of the ancient 
laws. They could all be obeyed through love ; love ani- 
mating all their life, their alms, their prayers, their good 
deeds. Nothing done for praise of men, but all for 
pure love. And as John listened his heart swelled with 
longing that his life might become one pure flame of 
love, ever burning like the fire on the altar, to the serv- 
ice and glory of God. But how \ 

Jesus told them. Through secret prayer and com- 
- munion with God. “ Enter into thine inner chamber, 
and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father which 
is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret 
shall recompense thee.” “Fray not with vain repeti- 
tions like the heathen,” nor even with too minute peti- 
tions for your own wants, “for your Father knoweth 
what things ye have need of before ye ask Him.” But 
pray la^ge petitions in which everybody can have a part : 
“ Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy 
will be done : Give us this day our daily bread : Forgive 
us our debts : Lead us not into temptation, but deliver 
us from the evil.” 


CHAPTER XXI. 


HOW ANTIPAS IS PERMITTED TO MINISTER TO THE LORD 
JESUS. 

The two boys who sat in the front row of the great 
multitude, with their eyes fastened upon Jesus, listened 
eagerly as he went on to say that the citizens of the 
kingdom were not to lay up treasures on earth ; better 
riches than those of earth are theirs, and earthly treasures 
cannot help on the coming of the kingdom. 

At this teaching Antipas was puzzled, for he knew 
that his mother was glad that she was rich, because with 
her money she could help Jesus when he came to set up 
the kingdom. But Jesus said that the way they could 
help the kingdom was just by shining as a lamp does ; 
only with the light that comes from God. This was to be 
the thing they were to really care about, and as to their 
food and drink and clothes they were not to be anxious 
about them. “Your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye 
have need of all these things,” Jesus said ; He will take 
care of that. “ Seek ye first His kingdom and His right- 
eousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” 

But they were not to think that because they be- 
longed to the kingdom they might sit in judgment on 
other people. They were to consider their own sins, not 
the faults of their neighbors, and do to every one as he 
would have others do to him, striving to bring forth in 
his conduct the good fruit of the kingdom. “Hot 

( 133 ) 


134 


A HILL NEAR CAPERNAUM. 


every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter 
into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will 
of my Father which is in heaven,” said the Master. 

And the long, beautiful sermon closed with a solemn 
warning which the youngest child sitting in that front 
row looking up to Jesus’ face could understand : “Every 
one, therefore, which heareth these words of mine and 
doeth them shall be likened unto a wise man, which 
built his house upon the rock ; and the rain descended, and 
the floods came, and the wind blew and beat upon that 
house and it fell not ; for it was founded upon a rock. 
And every one that heareth these words of mine and 
doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, 
which built his house upon the sand. And the rain de- 
scended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and 
smote upon that house and it fell ; and great was the fall 
thereof.” 

As the great multitude broke up, and went their way, 
many of them waiting for Jesus and the twelve to pass 
down the hill, and then following after, Antipas was sur- 
prised to see his mother’s litter. He left Bar-joses and 
hastened to her. 

“ You here, mother ! ” he exclaimed. 

“ Let us not talk, my son,” she said tenderly, yet with 
a look of awe in her dark eyes. “ Let us think quietly 
as we go home, trying to fasten the Master’s words upon 
our hearts. Afterward we will speak with one another 
about them.” 

The boy obeyed, walking beside his mother with his 
hand on her litter. He could not, like her, go carefully 


Joanna’s request. 


135 


in his mind over all that Jesus had said, but the sound 
of the Master’s voice, the look in his eyes as of a love so 
large that it could take in all the world, with a great joy 
in loving, went with him all the way. And he under- 
stood, too, that to be a citizen of the kingdom of God 
meant, first of all, to love God and seek to do His 
will, and then to love all men, and try to do them good 
for His sake. 

That evening when father, mother, and son were in 
the projecting window looking together over the waters 
of the lake, where the glorious stars of the eastern sky 
were reflected in its still depths, Joanna told her husband 
all that had happened that morning, and said that she 
wanted to give her time and her wealth to the service of 
Jesus. “We have great possessions, dear husband,” she 
said, “ and he has given back to us that which is more to 
us than all our wealth, our only son. How he is about 
to set forth upon a long preaching tour with his dis- 
ciples. Let me go with him and minister to him of our 
substance. What is it all worth, if by it we can do 
nothing to advance the kingdom ? ” She spoke with 
deep emotion, and Antipas slipped his little hand in hers 
to show her that he felt with her. 

Chuza meditated long on what his wife said, and then 
asked, “ Is there need of such a ministry ? ” 

“ I have been to see his mother this afternoon,” she 
said ; “ and there I met her sister Salome, the wife of 
Zebedee the fisherman, whose two sons have been chosen 
by Jesus as his apostles. She says that in consequence 
of the disobedience of the leper whom Jesus healed, who 


136 


CAPERNAUM. 


has gone everywhere noising his cure abroad, the multi- 
tudes of merely curious persons who crowd round him in 
the cities are so many that he can no longer teach in 
them to advantage but must remain in desert places to 
teach those who come out to him. Therefore it seems 
necessary that his friends should minister to him. There 
is a woman of Magdala, Mary by name, whose whole life 
is bound to Jesus, because he healed her of one of the 
worst forms of that terrible malady, demoniac possession ; 
she desires to use her little property in the service of the 
Master. And Susanna, our widowed friend, is also of a 
mind to do the same, and Salome as well.” 

“ What is your thought, then?” asked Chuza. 

“ My thought is that if you will let me have a gentle 
mule and one of the servants to lead another laden with 
food and such necessaries as we could carry, we might 
be of real service to the Master.” 

“ It is a good thought, my Joanna,” said Chuza, “and 
I who owe to him my only son will surely not withhold 
from him anything of mine he needs, not even though 
it take you from me for a time. Go, and may our God 
be with you ! ” 

Antipas had not spoken all this time, for no Jewish 
boy of his day would have interrupted the conversation 
of his parents. But now he withdrew his hand from his 
mother’s and, going to his father, said : 

“ My father, will you not let me go with my mother ?” 

His father hesitated. “ Your studies, my boy ; is it 
well for you to interrupt them ? ” 

“Father, I can learn more from Jesus than from all 





THE VILLAGE CALLED NAIN. 



ANTIPAS JOURNEYS WITH JESUS. 


137 


the books. I want to learn how to help in the king- 
dom ; I will study books all the harder when I come 
back.” 

Joanna laid her hand on her husband’s arm in en- 
treaty, and he answered in deep emotion : 

“ My son, I give you to the Lord, even as Samuel was 
given ; may you serve your God and your country as 
well as he did ! ” 

So all the next weeks Antipas was with Jesus, going 
up and down the land, hearing his words, seeing his 
works, and waiting upon him as his mother directed. 
And as the Master loved children, he often spoke lov- 
ingly to Antipas, and this child, who was so often near 
to J esus, was more full of joy, more full of gladness in 
his service, more full of longing that all people should 
know Jesus and come into his kingdom, than it is pos- 
sible to describe. 

One day Antipas saw Jesus heal a boy who was deaf 
and dumb ; one day he saw him open the eyes of the 
blind ; one day, most wonderful of all, he saw him raise 
a boy from the dead. 

They were approaching a village called Nain — The 
Beautiful — nestling on the hill slope of Little Hermon. 
Jesus was followed not only by his disciples and dear 
ministering friends but by a long train of followers, and 
thus they met another procession coming out of the city. 
Even Antipas knew what the procession was — the 
mourning women with their wild, dirge-like chants, the 
men with flutes and trumpets, the open wicker casket 
carried by four men, the one woman walking before it 


138 


NAIN. 


in rent garments, bowed down with grief, the great mul- 
titude following after. Some one was dead — the only 
son of his mother, and she a widow, walking before him 
to his last resting-place. “ Ah,” thought Antipas, “ at 
last here is a sorrow which even Jesus cannot cure,” and 
the boy, who had been walking, as he often did, close 
beside his Master, looked up into his face with sympathy, 
thinking how his loving heart would be torn with sorrow 
at a grief he could not heal. 

But in Jesus’ face there was that same look of tri- 
umphant love which he had often seen before, only more 
tender, more glorious than he had ever seen it. And 
now, stepping forward to the side of the weeping mother, 
“ Be not weeping ! ” he said, with his thrilling voice of 
sympathy, and then moved on and touched the wicker 
casket. To touch it was to become unclean according 
to Jewish law, and the bearers stood still in horror ; but 
they forgot all that when his voice, sweet, strong, com- 
manding, said : 

“ Young man, I say unto thee, Arise ! ” and the boy 
sat up and, looking into the face of him who spoke, said, 
“ Master ! ” 

Again Joanna thought of the prophets who had 
brought to life the only sons of weeping mothers. And 
remembering the prayers and efforts with which they 
had recalled the vanished life, and contrasting it with 
the majesty of Jesus’ commanding word, she said to 
Antipas, as awed, exulting, he ran to her side, “Is not 
this the very Lord of Life ? Is he not the very Son of 
God?” 


THE VISIT TO JESUS* OLD HOME. 133 

One day they came to the place that Antipas had most 
of all wanted to see, Nazareth, Jesus’ own country, where 
he was brought up. As they drew near Antipas looked 
around upon the w T reath of overlapping hills encircling 
the pleasant little village, and thought how many times, 
when Jesus was a boy like him, he had looked upon the 
same scene. And when they entered the village he saw 
the little house where Jesus used to live, and the vine 
growing over the wall and overshadowing the upper 
chamber where he used to sit, and the carpenter bench 
still standing before the door. Some one else was the 
village carpenter now, but nothing else was changed. 

The day was the Sabbath. They had passed the night 
upon the hillside very near the entrance of the village, 
for only a short journey might be taken on the Sabbath 
day. It was very early in the morning, and the towns- 
folk were all hastening to the synagogue, for Jesus was 
going to preach in his own city. As Jesus and his fol- 
lowers were making their way to the place of worship 
they passed a poor half-witted boy who was lying in 
the street, taking no notice of the company that passed 
by. Antipas wondered that the Master did not heal the 
poor lad, whom they had to walk around to avoid tram- 
pling on him, but though Jesus gave him a look of love, 
such as he always gave to the suffering and the helpless 
and to little children, he did not speak to him, nor say 
to the demon that had possession of him, “ Come forth ! ” 
“ Jesus always knows what is right,” thought Antipas, 
and yet he could not help wishing he would cast out the 
demon. 


140 


KAZAffcETH. 


None of those who were with Jesus knew how he had 
been treated in Nazareth when he preached there be- 
fore. Perhaps the people of Nazareth were ashamed 
when they remembered it ; perhaps, seeing him followed 
by a number of disciples, like a great rabbi, they wanted 
to hear him preach again. But at best they came 
out of curiosity. Anti pas, sitting hack on one of the 
humbler seats, soon saw that they were whispering 
among themselves, and when the sermon was over, and 
according to custom any one might ask the preacher 
questions, instead of asking the meaning of what he had 
said they began to say to one another, “ Where did he 
learn all that ? ” “ How did he get his wisdom ? ” And 
a coarse, rough man cried out sneeringly, “ He is nothing 
but the carpenter who used to live here,” and others ex- 
claimed, “ Why, he is' Mary’s son and the brother of 
James and Joses and Judas and Simon !” “Why, his 
sisters are living here now ; we know all about him ! ” 
And again the rough man cried, “ They talk about his 
mighty works! Let him heal my poor Nathan if he 
can ! ” 

When Jesus came out of the synagogue nobody fol- 
lowed him except those who had come with him, and 
John, walking with Joanna and Antipas, saw that a 
prophet has no honor in his own country and among his 
own kin. And so Nazareth, with its sneers and its un- 
belief, saw none of Jesus’ mighty works, although he did 
go into a few homes of friends, who really loved him for 
the sake of old times — perhaps his sisters — and lay his 
hands upon the sick people there and make them well. 


CHAPTER XXII. 


HOW ANTIPAS LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE KINGDOM AND 
ITS KING. 

It was during this journey that Antipas learned some- 
thing more about the forgiveness of sins. A Pharisee, 
who was curious to meet one who was making so great a 
stir, invited Jesus to his house ; but being, like many 
Pharisees, so wrapped up in self-satisfaction that there 
was no room in his heart for love or even for courtesy 
toward one whom he thought poorer than himself, he 
neglected even the common decencies, gave no orders 
for the pouring of water on the traveller’s dusty feet, 
still less for the anointing with perfumed oil which was 
given to an honored guest. But the Pharisee was very 
willing that every one should see his hospitality to this 
wandering prophet, and therefore Antipas and several 
other boys of Jesus’ company came into the court and 
stood where they could see into the banqueting hall, as 
it was the custom to do. And presently there crept in 
a poor, worn, wicked woman, the very offscouring of 
the street, carrying a costly alabaster jar ; and creeping 
to Jesus’ feet as he reclined on the luxurious divan ac- 
cording to the custom of such feasts, she began to weep 
over his feet, her tears falling so abundantly as to wash 
away the travel stains ; then she wiped them with her 

( 141 ) 


142 


A GALILEAN VILLAGE. 


long' hair and poured fragrant ointment upon them 
from her alabaster box, kissing them in deep humility. 

There was a sneer upon the Pharisee’s face as he saw 
this, as much as to say, “ If this man were a prophet he 
would know that this woman is a sinner and would 
spurn her from his feet.” Then Jesus spoke in his 
gentle, courteous voice, “ Simon, I have something to 
say to you.” “ Master, say on,” replied the Pharisee ; 
and Jesus told him the story of a man who had two 
debtors, one who owed a large sum and one a small, and 
as both were equally unable to pay he forgave both. 
“ Which of*them will love him most ? ” asked Jesus, and 
Simon answered carelessly, “ I suppose him to whom he 
forgave most.” 

“ You have well said,” said Jesus, and then he raised 
himself up and turned toward the woman with an air of 
such dignified command that the proud Pharisee blushed 
with shame as he added, “ Simon, do you see this 
woman ? I came to your house, and you gave me no 
water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her 
tears. You gave me no kiss of welcome, but she has not 
ceased to kiss my feet ; you did not anoint my head with 
oil, but she has anointed my feet with costly ointment. 
So I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, 
for she loved much ; but to whom little is forgiven he 
loves little;” and then, in a voice of thrilling kindness, 
he said to the woman, “ Your sins are forgiven,” and she 
lifted up her face with joy and gratitude and went out 
of the house. Thus it was that Antipas learned that 
there was no limit to his Master’s power to forgive. 


THE MALICE OF SCRIBES AND PHARISEES. 143 


They were at home again in Capernaum, and Anti pas 
was busy with his books with an ardor he had never 
known before. It was not merely because he was a 
little older and therefore wiser ; it was because every- 
thing in life seemed to have new value, new importance, 
since he had found that it might all be used for the 
service of Jesus. 

Of course his studies did not keep him from seeing 
Jesus every day. Just as in the old time, Jesus was 
always the centre of a group of children, and Antipas, 
as soon as his lessons were over, always joined them. 
So he heard many beautiful teachings of Jesus, some of 
them spoken to the children alone, some of them to the 
older people, who gathered around him more and more 
as the days went on. 

One day when Antipas went to look for his Master he 
found him in Peter's house, and a number of men and 
women sitting around. As usual, the boy made his 
way to a place near Jesus, where the little children were 
clustered around him, happy to be near him even when 
they could not understand all that he was saying. 

To-day they could understand very little. A num- 
ber of Scribes and Pharisees were there and ' were 
arguing with him. The children wondered that they 
should want to talk when they might have heard Jesus 
talk, for surely no one ever spoke as Jesus did. And 
presently Antipas heard something that filled him with 
horror. The Scribes and Pharisees were accusing Jesus 
of having the help of Satan in healing the poor demoni- 
acs whom he had restored from their frightful ravings 


144 


CAPERNAUM. 


to be in their right mind. Antipas hardly knew whether 
to be exultant or terrified at the way in which Jesus 
answered them, so severe, so stern, so full of indignation 
that the rabbis fairly cowed before him. And yet, as 
Antipas could see, Jesus did not in the least lose his 
self-control, and even in the midst of his severest say- 
ings he brought in little stories, as was his way, to ex- 
plain to his hearers more perfectly what he meant. 

Yet there was something terrible even in these 
stories ; they were not about the sower, or the shepherd, 
or the merchantman, such as Antipas had often heard 
him tell, but about a strong man armed, or about wicked 
men taken possession of by evil spirits, and the awful- 
ness of uttering words against the Holy Spirit of God. 
With every word his eyes grew more dreadful ; his voice 
sounded like the deep notes of a warning bell. 

A woman standing in the outer edge of the circle 
presently exclaimed that his mother must be blessed to 
have him for a son. He turned his eyes upon her and 
answered, “ Say, rather, they are blessed who hear the 
word of God and keep it ; ” and as he said these words 
Antipas was filled with wonder, for it seemed to him 
that all those who loved Jesus heard this saying as a 
gentle blessing, while the very same words were a stern 
reproof to those who sat before him only to find fault. 

Jesus was still speaking to them in warning and re- 
proof when there was a little stir at the door; the 
mother and brothers of Jesus stood there looking some- 
what troubled. Mary spoke softly to some one who 
stood near, and that person came to Jesus saying, 


THE MOTHER AND BROTHERS OF JESUS. 145 


“ Your mother and brothers are asking for you.” The 
stern look with which he had been speaking melted into 
the expression of tenderness that it always took on when 
he looked at his mother; his eyes turned toward the 
door, and then were directed toward his disciples and 
the little children who sat near him ; he seemed entirely 
to overlook the carping, critical rabbis, as if they were 
of no consequence, and in that voice of thrilling sweet- 
ness that always went to the heart of those who loved 
him, he said, “ Do you know who my mother and my 
brothers are ? Here they are, my mother and my bro- 
thers ” — and it seemed to his disciples and the children 
as if his eyes rested upon each one of them in love — 
“ for whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is 
as dear to me as brother or sister or mother.” 

And then he rose from his seat and, going through 
the group of unloving Scribes and Pharisees, he went 
away with his mother. 

Yery often in those days Jesus sat in a boat to teach, 
for in that way he could better see the crowd that fol- 
lowed him, and they could better see and hear him. Of 
late Jesus had begun to teach in a new way — almost en- 
tirely by parables, or stories that have a meaning. John 
had told Anti pas and Bar-joses that one reason for this 
was that Jesus wanted thus to separate those who fol- 
lowed him out of mere curiosity from those who truly 
wanted to learn. For the parables, though they were 
interesting, were not always easy to understand, and 
only those who cared for something other than to be 
amused took the trouble to ask for their explanation. 


146 


CAPERNAUM. 


One day when he was sitting in the boat, and the 
children sitting near him on the sand, with a great mul- 
titude covering all the shore, Jesus told them a number 
of parables about the kingdom, to show what its nature 
was and what must be the character of the people who 
belong to it. 

It was like a sower sowing seed, he said, and the seed 
falling into all sorts of ground and sometimes being lost 
and sometimes bearing little fruit and sometimes bear- 
ing much ; it was like good seed sown in a field and an 
enemy coming and scattering the seeds of weeds among 
the corn ; it was like a tiny grain of mustard-seed from 
which grew a great tree ; it was like a bit of leaven in 
a pan of dough that fermented and fermented till it 
leavened the whole lump ; it was like treasure hid in a 
field ; like a goodly pearl ; like a net cast into the sea 
and bringing up many fish, some bad, some good. All 
these stories he told to show what the kingdom really is. 

The grown people seemed not to understand ; even 
the disciples were puzzled ; but the children listened 
with delight, and perhaps they understood better than 
the grown people, for they had not their minds made up 
as to what the kingdom ought to be, and to them it 
seemed plain that in the kingdom there would be some 
people more full of good deeds than others, and that the 
power of the kingdom must ever grow and grow until 
it filled the whole world. 

At last eveniug came and all the people went home. 
Antipas lingered a little and heard Jesus ask his dis- 
ciples to hoist the sail and carry him over to the other 


THE STORM ON THE LAKE. 


147 


side of the lake. He saw Jesus lie down in the stern of 
the boat with his head on the steerman’s cushion, as if 
he was very weary ; and then Antipas ran away home. 

An hour later as he sat on the roof with his father 
and mother he saw a ship afar off in the midst of the 
lake that he recognized for that of Jesus, and he pointed 
it out to them. It was sailing beautifully along in the 
white moonlight, but not rapidly, for there was hardly 
any wind, and the sea was perfectly smooth. But even 
while they were looking at it the wind suddenly came 
up and began to blow almost a hurricane ; one of those 
sudden squalls that often come upon the Lake of Galilee, 
sunk so deep among the hills. Chuza uttered an excla- 
mation of alarm, for even at that distance they coulcl see 
that the little ship was plunging frightfully and that the 
waves seemed to wash entirely over her ; and then, far 
more suddenly than it had come up, the wind died down, 
the clouds rolled away from before the moon, and they 
could see the gallant little boat riding the smooth sea 
and drawing rapidly near the farther shore. 

That was all, so far as Antipas knew. He wondered 
a little that the storm had ceased so quickly, but he had 
no idea of what really had taken place. 

John had been sitting at the tiller near his beloved 
Master, as he lay asleep with his head upon the hard 
steerman’s cushion. The young disciple’s mind was so 
busy with the parables that Jesus had spoken that day 
that he had not noticed how light the wind was or how 
slowly they were moving over the glassy surface of the 
lake. Suddenly a sharp blast struck his cheek, the boat 


148 


LAKE OF GALILEE. 


careened, there were shouts from his comrades in 
the other end of the vessel as they sprang up to let out 
the ropes and ease the struggling sail, for the little boat 
was battling with a hurricane. 

Four of the men on board were experienced sailors 
and knew every trick of that lake, but even they were 
appalled at the fury of the gale. The other eight were 
landsmen, and in their confused terror they were not 
only useless but in the way, while their fright helped 
to unman their comrades. Through all the wild con- 
fusion, the shrieking of the wind, the straining of the 
timbers, the booming of the waves, Jesus still slept; the 
moon was hidden behind the dark storm-cloud, but 
John, bending all his strength upon the tiller, could not 
but feel the utter calmness of that sleep. Instead of 
strengthening it discouraged him. Ah, yes, Jesus 
might as well sleep, for here was something which even 
he could not help ; the winds and the waters were in the 
power of God. And then as the vessel rose staggering 
and trembling on a mighty wave, and in a moment 
crashed down into the yawning depth while the waters 
swept over the little bark, there was a rush of the other 
disciples, frantic with terror and despair, and a wild 
scream, “Master, Master, do you not care that we 
perish ? ” 

In the black darkness John could not see that Jesus 
opened his eyes, but he heard his voice above the boom- 
ing of the storm, “ Why are you afraid ? ” Have you 
not yet faith ? ” And then Jesus rose, and said in a 
voice of command, “ Peace ! Be still ! ” 


THE TEMPEST STILLED. 


149 


And suddenly the wind fell, the clouds broke away, 
the moon shone out upon a subsiding sea, and the twelve 
disciples, looking upon him with awe, hardly dared speak 
to him, but whispered to one another, “ What manner 
of man is this ? ” “ Even the winds and the waters obey 

him ! ” 

But John’s soul rose in exultation that the king he 
had chosen to follow, the king of his heart as well as his 
life, was able to be ruler, not only over men, but also 
over the powers of earth and sky. 


CHAPTER XXIIL 


HOW THE LORD BROUGHT LITTLE TABITHA TO LIFE. 

For several days Jesus was gone with his twelve dis- 
ciples to the other side of the lake. Antipas was long- 
ing earnestly for him to come back, for Tabitha, his lit- 
tle playmate, was very ill. If Jesus were only there, 
Antipas felt sure that he would make her well ; if even 
he only knew that little Tabitha was ill, over there on 
the other side of the lake, he would cure her ; he had 
healed Antipas himself when far away. But he was 
gone, and he did not know that Tabitha was so very ill 
that her mother would not let even her little playmate 
Antipas see her. 

But at last from the roof of the house he saw a vessel 
coming across the lake that he knew for that of Jesus, 
and he ran to the place where it usually came to land. 
He found little Janna there and several other children 
whom Jesus loved, and in a few minutes many people 
began to come, for they too had seen the boat, and in 
these days a crowd always gathered around Jesus wher- 
ever he went. The boat drew to the shore, and just as 
Jesus stepped upon land there was a stir and hurry, and 
Jairus, little Tabitha’s father, came pushing his way 
through the crowd. The dignified ruler of the syna- 
gogue hardly looked like himself, for his clothes were 
( 150 ) 


THE DELAY ON THE WAY TO TABITHA. 151 


carelessly put on and his beard was neglected ; but every 
one made way for the afflicted father who, falling on his 
knees before Jesus, cried, “ My little daughter ! my lit- 
tle child ! she is dying ! Come, oh come, I pray, and 
lay your hands upon her that she may get well ! ” 

With a look of deep sympathy Jesus raised up the 
agonized father and turned in the direction of his house. 
Antipas followed close, and so did all the people ; the 
narrow street was full and they almost trod upon one an- 
other. Antipas could think of only one thing — Tabitha 
was dying ! Oh, if they could but go faster ! If only 
the crowd would not get in the way and detain Jesus ! 
Then he remembered the boy at Nain, and with joy he 
thought, “ Jesus cannot come too late ! It will never 
be too late where Jesus is.” 

Yet even Antipas was impatient when he saw a 
woman push through the crowd and furtively touch the 
tassel that hung from the corner of Jesus’ robe where it 
was flung over his shoulder, and then shrink back among 
the multitude, while Jesus stopped and turned, saying, 
“ Who touched me ? ” No one answered at first, but 
when he asked again Peter said, “ Master, you see how 
great the crowd is, who can tell who touched you ? ” 

But Jesus repeated, “ Some one touched me, for I per- 
ceive that power has gone out from me ! ” Then the 
woman came trembling, and fell at his feet, and said that 
she had been ill for many years and could not get cured, 
and she had felt sure that if she might but touch his gar 
ment she should get well, and it had proved so, for she 
was perfectly well. And Antipas saw that Jesus looked 


152 


CAPERNAUM. 


upon her with pleasure, and said, “ Daughter, your faith 
made you well, go in peace.” And she turned and went 
away with a look of great joy upon her face. 

But the poor father had stood by with a look of 
agony, for he knew that his little daughter was dying. 
Antipas longed to speak to him and tell him how Jesus 
had raised to life the dead boy at Nain, but he did not 
dare, and now Jesus turned back to Jairus and they all 
went on together. 

But before they reached the house they knew that lit- 
tle Tabitha was dead ; for the sound of the flute and 
the voices of the wailing women, hired to bewail the 
dead, came over the heavy footfall of the multitude, and 
a servant came running to Jairus, saying, “ Your daugh- 
ter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further ? ” 

Jesus paid no attention to the man’s words. He only 
turned to the suffering father and said, “ Do not fear, 
only believe ! ” in a tone so strong and full of power 
that Jairus could not help believing, and all his fear and 
sorrow went away. 

At the door Jesus stopped and said that no one might 
go in except Peter and John and James. So Antipas 
remained outside, hearing the moans and shrieks of the 
hired mourners. But presently these all came trooping 
out, indignant and scornful, saying that Jesus had turned 
them out and had said the child was not dead, but only 
sleeping, when they knew that she was dead. 

It was not till the next day that Antipas knew just 
what had happened in the house. He knew very soon 
that little Tabitha was alive and well, although her 


THE LORD SPEAKS TO TABITHA. 


153 


parents thought it best not to let her see any of her lit- 
tle friends for a while ; but the next day he saw John 
and heard all about it, for John and Antipas had come 
to be good friends while they were travelling through 
Galilee together, and the boy was helping his mother 
minister to the comfort of Jesus. 

“We went into the house,” John said, “and the 
mourners were making their doleful noises, and the 
Master bade them cease, for the little girl was not dead 
but sleeping. They laughed and jeered, and so he made 
them leave the house; and }ou know, Antipas, that no 
one disobeys when the Master speaks in a voice of com- 
mand.” 

“ I know,” said Antipas softly. 

“ And then when all was quiet in the house we went 
into the room, just Jairus and his wife Rachel, and 
Peter, James, and I, with the Master. He stood beside 
the bed for a moment looking at her with that look of 
love he gives to children — like little Janna, for in- 
stance.” 

“ And me,” said Antipas, remembering the many 
times that he had seen the Master look upon him with 
love. 

“And you,” said John. “And then he took her 
hand and said to her softly, 4 Little maid, arise ! ’ And 
the color came into her white cheeks, and she sat up and 
looked at him, and then she jumped from the couch and 
ran to her mother. And the Master smiled; but he 
only said to her father, ‘ Give her something to eat,’ and 
we came away. I think that was because it was not 


154 


CAPERNAUM. 


good for the little maid that there should be much ex- 
citement about her cure.” 

After this Antipas did not see Jesus for a long time. 
For now, having been for many months carefully in- 
structing his disciples, and having himself gone all over 
Galilee preaching and doing works of love and power, 
he sent out the twelve disciples two and two to preach 
and teach, and he himself went away to Jerusalem to 
one of the feasts. And after a time Antipas’s father 
also went away, for Herod the Tetrarch made a jour- 
ney to his castle of Macheerus, far away in the South 
beyond the Dead Sea, and desired Chuza to go with 
him. He intended to pass his birthday there, and to 
celebrate it by a brilliant banquet, to which all the lords 
and military officers and principal citizens of Galilee 
were invited. 

So for a time the children saw nothing of Jesus, but 
they did not forget him. They used often to get to- 
gether and talk about him — Antipas and Tabitha and 
Bar-joses and little Janna — meeting sometimes on the 
shore of the lake, but more often in the house of Mary, 
the mother of Jesus. And she would tell them, as she 
so often had told little Janna, stories of Jesus when he 
was a little boy ; and hearing how good and obedient 
and unselfish he had been, they learned how to be better 
children than they ever had been before. 

When at last Chuza came home he seemed to be very 
sad, and presently he told his wife and son what it was 
that made him so. The prophet, John the Baptist, he 
who had preached so mightily in preparing the way for 


Salome’s dreadful dance. 


155 


Jesus, had been beheaded by Herod’s command. For 
months he had been kept a prisoner in the dungeons in 
the castle of Machserus, but Herod had not dared to kill 
him, because he knew how much the people reverenced 
and believed in him, and he was afraid there would be a 
rebellion if any harm came to the prophet. But at his 
birthday feast, Salome, the daughter of the wicked 
Herodias who had left her husband to live with his 
brother Herod, had danced before the festive company, 
and had so delighted Herod that he had promised to give 
her anything she asked for. 

“ Salome went and consulted her mother,” said Chuza, 
“ and she bade her ask for the head of John the Bap- 
tist.” 

“ Herodias always hated the prophet,” remarked Jo- 
anna, “ because he told Herod he had no right to take 
her from his brother ; but would Herod grant such a 
request ? ” 

“ He was sorry enough,” replied Chuza, “ but he was 
ashamed not to keep a promise which he bad made be- 
fore all his courtiers, and so he sent, and had the proph- 
et's head cut off, and it was brought into the banquet- 
ing-hall on a salver and given to Salome.” 

“ How horrible!” exclaimed Joanna, and then she 
added with an expression of tenderness, “the Master 
will be grieved.” 

“ Yes, and I fear it will make him trouble,” answered 
Chuza. “The multitude have always been devoted to 
the Baptist, and now that he is gone they will be likely 
to insist that Jesus shall openly proclaim his kingdom 
and help them to throw off Herod’s rule,” 


156 


CAPERNAUM. 


“ And you do not think the time for that has come ? ” 
asked Joanna. 

“ The Master will set his own time,” replied Chuza ; 
“ he will not let the people force him to do it. And 
then if they should turn against him ! ” 

“Turn against Jesus, father?” exclaimed Antipas in 
surprise. “ Why, no one who has ever loved him would 
do that ! ” 

Chuza did not answer his son, but after a short silence 
he said : 

“ I think I see trouble before the Master in the 
future. The Sanhedrin, I hear, are much displeased 
because in Jerusalem he healed a man on the Sabbath, 
and because he justified himself for it by saying that 
God also does His works of benevolence on the Sabbath, 
and that God was his Father, making himself equal with 
God!” 

“ Why, father ! ” exclaimed Antipas again, “ isn’t that 
like what he said to Uncle Nicodemus? Uncle Nico- 
demus stands up for him, doesn’t he ? ” 

“ He would be only one among many enemies if he 
did,” replied Chuza. “ Well, we shall see. I fear how 
it will end.” 

Antipas was much surprised. How could it end ex- 
cept in Jesus making them see sooner or later that he 
was truly the Messiah, and that his way of the kingdom 
was the right way ? 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


HOW THE LORD TAUGHT THE CHILDREN THE LESSON OF 
THE LILIES. 

A day or two after this Antipas and Tabitha, who 
had gone out into the fields to gather some of the gor- 
geous lilies that bloom just before the Passover time, 
saw Jesus coming. They ran to meet him, the lilies in 
their hands, and when he saw them he smiled upon 
them and seemed so glad to see them that it made their 
hearts very glad. And then he seated himself by the 
wayside and placed one of them on each side of him, 
and taking the flowers from Tabitha’s hand he said, 
“ Look at the lilies, children, they do not toil, they do 
not spiu, and yet the great King Solomon in all his glory 
was never clothed so beautifully as one of these.” 

The children looked thoughtfully at the lilies ; they 
had never stopped to think how they came to be so 
beautiful. 

“ If your Heavenly Father has given such beautiful 
clothes to the flowers that cannot know or love Him,” 
Jesus went on, looking at the children with love, “ will 
He not always give you whatever you need ? ” 

These children had always had everything they 
needed, almost everything that they had ever thought 
of wanting ; but now, when Jesus reminded them that 

( 157 ) 


158 


CAPERNAUM. 


it was God who had given these things to them, every- 
thing they had seemed to become more precious, and 
their hearts were full of joy that the Heavenly Father 
cared for them. It was always so when they were with 
Jesus ; each time they felt themselves growing a little 
better acquainted with God. 

They walked along together after a while, and as they 
passed through a grove of flowering trees, where the 
birds were twittering in the branches, Jesus told them 
how the Heavenly Father takes care of them. “ You 
know,” he said, “ that the little sparrows are so many 
and so small that two of them are sold for a farthing ; 
and yet your Heavenly Father cares so much for them 
that He notices when even one of them is killed. So He 
cares for you ; even the hairs of your head are num- 
bered ; you are of more value to Him than many spar- 
rows,” and the children were more than ever grateful to 
God, who loved the little birds, and loved children much 
more than even the birds. 

When they came to Mary’s house they found that the 
twelve Apostles had returned from their journeys of 
preaching and healing the sick and were waiting to see 
Jesus. Two other men were also waiting for Jesus; 
they were disciples of John the Baptist, the prophet who 
had been killed. They had been allowed to bury his 
body and then they had come to tell Jesus. 

Antipas had never before seen Jesus look sad. He 
had often seen a great loving pity sweep over his face ; 
he had seen his eyes grow large and dark with sympathy 
with people who were in pain or grief, but always it had 


THE LOED HEARS SORROWFUL NEWS. 159 


seemed to the boy as if there was a great fountain of joy 
in Jesus’ heart, ever welling up and overflowing upon 
those who were sorrowful, and making them joyful too. 
And it always had been so ; but now he felt that his 
dear Master was grieved at heart. Yet he saw that 
though Jesus was sad he was not thinking of himself. 
He comforted the disciples of the Baptist with hopeful 
words ; he asked his own disciples to tell him all they 
had done and all they had taught, and he listened with 
deepest interest to what they had to tell of the comfort 
they had brought to the sorrowing, and the teaching 
they had given to those who wanted to learn about 
Jesus. 

Before they had finished the people began to crowd 
around the doors, bringing their sick friends as they had 
always done. Weary as Jesus and his disciples were, 
they had no time to rest or even to eat ; and after heal- 
ing the sick, Jesus said to his disciples, “Come, let us 
go away into a lonely place and rest a while and so 
Antipas and Tabitha bade Jesus good-by and went to 
their homes, and Jesus and his disciples went down to 
the shore to take their boat and sail away to where they 
could find rest and quiet. Antipas knew he should not 
see Jesus again for a good while, for it was almost Pass- 
over time, and he was going to set out the next day with 
his parents for Jerusalem. 


CHAPTER XXY. 


HOW BAEJOSES MINISTEEED TO THE LOED. 

Bae-joses had just finished cleaning out the boat 
when Jesus and the disciples came down to the shore, 
for he knew that Jesus had come back, and he thought 
that he might want to go on the lake for a little while. 
His heart was full of happiness, because this time he was 
working expressly for his dear Master ; and it seemed as 
if he could not contain his delight when Jesus, looking 
around the ship and seeing in what perfect order Bar- 
joses had put it, smiled upon him and said, “ Blessed is 
that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find 
so doing.” To be commended by Jesus ! Who could 
have a richer reward than that ? 

As the boat pushed off Bar-joses heard them saying 
that they were going to a lonely place near the city of 
Bethsaida Julias, about six miles away around the head 
of the lake ; and he was glad they were going to so quiet 
a place, for he knew that they needed rest. But as he 
went about his work he began to fear that Jesus would 
not, after all, have much rest there, for the news that he 
had returned had by this time gone all over the city, 
and a great many people set out to follow him on foot 
around the head of the lake, and Bar-joses, looking to 
see how the wind was, thought it quite likely that they 
( 160 ) 




« 



A WAYSIDE CAMP. 





BAR-JOSES FOLLOWS TO BETHSAIDA. 161 


would get there even before Jesus, for it was blowing 
almost straight from the northeast, and the ship would 
have to beat its way across the lake. 

All day long, as he was doing his various duties, he 
was thinking of this, and wishing that he could do some- 
thing to help Jesus. 

Suddenly a thought came to him that filled him with 
joy : he would carry the Master something to eat. He 
had a little store of provisions — five thin, flat loaves of 
barley meal and two little dried salt fishes for a relish. 
The place where Jesus had gone was only six miles 
away ; he could walk it in two hours, and get there by 
the time Jesus had finished teaching and dismissed the 
people ; and then, oh, what joy to minister to the needs 
of his dear Master ! His work of carrying fish to cus- 
tomers was done ; the afternoon was not more than half 
spent; he could reach the place in good time. And 
with a light heart the fisher boy set out, his barley loaves 
and little fish safely stored in his scrip. 

When he came to the place where the road to Beth- 
saida turns off from the great caravan road, he learned 
that a caravan of Passover pilgrims coming from north- 
ern Galilee had turned out of their way to hear Jesus 
preach, leaving all their provisions and other baggage 
under the charge of a few camel-drivers and others who 
had not cared to go. And as he drew near to the wide, 
grassy plain where he knew Jesus was likely to be, he 
saw such a multitude as he had never seen gathered in 
all his life, men, women, and children. They were 
standing on the plain, and Jesus a little way up the hill, 


162 


BETHS AID A. 


as his custom was, the better to make himself heard ; 
his twelve disciples clustered near him. Jesus was not 
teaching; he appeared only lately to have ceased, for 
the people were still in the attitude of listeners ; but he 
was speaking with Philip, who looked anxious and per- 
plexed. 

All this Bar-joses saw at a glance as he skirted the 
crowd and came up to where Andrew stood. His mas- 
ter Zebedee’s partner was always kind to him, and Bar- 
joses immediately showed him his wallet, saying, “ See, 
Andrew, I have brought these for the Master.” 

“ You are a thoughtful lad,” said Andrew with a look 
of pleasure, and turning he went to Jesus, and Bar-joses 
heard him say, “ The lad is here and has brought five 
barley loaves and two small fishes, but what are they 
among so many ? ” 

Among so many ! Bar-joses had had no thought of 
feeding all that multitude; but he heard Jesus say, 
“ Make the people sit down.” Immediately the twelve 
disciples went down among the people and soon had 
them all arranged in orderly ranks, sitting in companies 
of fifties and hundreds upon the green grass, their 
bright-colored tunics and headcloths making the place 
look like garden-beds of gay flowers. Bar-joses counted 
the groups ; there were quite five thousand men, besides 
another group of women and children sitting by them- 
selves. 

While they were taking their seats Jesus turned to 
Bar-joses and said, “ Bring the food to me.” 

With what delight did the boy give to his Master the 


THE FOOD BAR-JOSES BROUGHT. 


163 


provisions lie had brought for him ! But how his de- 
light was changed to rapturous wonder ! For now the 
people were all ranged in order, and the disciples had 
come up and were standing on either side of Jesus, and 
Jesus lifted his eyes to heaven and uttered the prayer of 
blessing said by every pious father at the board around 
which his children are gathered: “ Blessed art Thou, 
J ehovah, our Lord, King of the world, who causest to 
come forth bread from the earth.” 

Then Jesus began to break the bread and to divide 
the little fishes and to give the pieces to the disciples. 
And the disciples went back and forth, back and forth, 
between the multitude and Jesus, and the wondering 
Bar-joses saw that they were always laden with pieces of 
bread and fish which the Master had broken from the 
five loaves and the two little fishes that he himself had 
brought ! 

It was a long time before that great multitude was 
served, but when all had had enough Jesus said to the 
disciples, “ Gather up the broken pieces that remain that 
nothing may be lost.” 

It did not seem strange to Bar-joses that the Lord, 
who had so easily multiplied the food, should be careful 
of the fragments. He had never before so realized the 
preciousness of bread as now when he saw it multiply 
beneath the Master’s hand ; and he saw that every gift 
of God is all the more precious just because it is the gift 
of God. But the wonder was that when the broken 
pieces were gathered up they filled twelve baskets ! 

When the multitude saw this they burst into wild 


164 


BETHSAIDA. 


shouts : “ The King ! ” “ Israel’s King ! ” they cried ; 
“ Messiah King ! ” “ To Jerusalem, and set him to 

reign over us ! ” “ Down with Herod ! ” “ Freedom 

from Home!” “Israel will have no King but the 
Messiah ! ” 

The tumult was so great that it seemed as if the chil- 
dren in the crowd would surely be trampled under foot. 
Bar-joses saw that the disciples were much agitated, that 
John and Peter and James especially were eagerly 
urging something upon Jesus. But Jesus wore that air 
of command which few ever thought of resisting, surely 
none who loved him ; in a few minutes the disciples 
went down the hill, crossed the plain, and embarked in 
their little ship. The multitude stared after them in 
dismay. The disciples of Jesus would surely not be 
leaving him if he were going to be made king. And 
now they heard the voice of Jesus, soothing, calming, 
commanding; and by degrees the excitement quieted 
down, the crowd melted away, and Jesus was left alone 
on the hill. And Bar-joses, knowing what the Master 
did when he was alone, reverently turned away and took 
the road homeward under the early moon. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 


HOW THE MULTITUDE FELT WHEN THE LORD WOULD NOT 
BE MADE KINO. 

The next day Capernaum was crowded with strangers, 
for nearly all those Passover pilgrims from the regions 
north of the lake, who had been so wonderfully fed the 
night before, had come to Capernaum instead of keep- 
ing on their way to Jerusalem. They still believed that 
Jesus would consent to be a mere human king, a rival 
of Herod or Caesar ; they had not learned that he was 
already ruling over his kingdom, and that it was for 
them to go to him and enter that kingdom, not to ask 
Jesus to come and rule over such a kingdom as they 
could make for him. 

But Jesus was not there. Bar-joses, who had been 
sent on an errand to a village in the plain of Genne- 
saret, came suddenly upon him and the disciples ; they 
had landed a little below and were walking towards 
Capernaum. Bar-joses was astounded at the sight, for 
he had seen the disciples in the boat and Jesus going up 
the hill alone ; but the next moment he forgot this in 
the delight and awe with which he looked upon his 
Lord. For Jesus seemed fairly radiant with power and 
with love; he walked as if on air; his whole person 
seemed to shed abroad a sense of strength and health. 
All along the wayside were lying the sick and the blind 

( 165 ) 


166 


THE PLAIN OF GENNESARET. 


and the lame and paralyzed whom their friends had 
brought in beds and laid where he was about to walk. 
And it seemed as if he did not need to touch or even 
speak to them ; if they but reached out and touched his 
garment they were healed at once. 

Before long John explained to Bar-joses how Jesus 
came to be with them ; he had joined them in the night, 
walking on the water to come to their boat. They had 
been terrified when they saw him, thinking it was a 
ghost. 

“ Oh, why ? ” asked Bar-joses. “ Look at him now as 
he walks and the sick people rise up well from touching 
him ; do you think there is any thing he could not do ? ” 

“ No,” answered John, a great light flashing out from 
his eyes. “ When we saw that, and when Peter jumped 
out of the boat to walk on the water to go to him, and 
did walk until he looked at the waves and was terrified, 
and when Jesus took him by the hand and led him back 
to the boat, then we all knew, Bar-joses, that he was 
Lord of all that is in heaven and in earth ; and we 
worshipped him and called him the Son of God.” 

Bar-joses did not know, nor did any of the disciples 
suspect, that this day on which their Master seemed so 
full of strength and power was the turning-point in his 
life. They did not expect him to become a mere earthly 
king, as those did who did not know him ; but they did 
expect that now all hearts would be given to him, and 
that his rule of holiness and love would go on from this 
day extending till all Israel came to own him as Master 
and Lord. 


THE TUENLNH OF THE TIDE. 


167 


But as soon as they got to Capernaum they saw that 
it would not be so. Great multitudes came at once to 
meet him, but they only asked him for a sign by which 
they might be sure who he was. It was market-day and 
the synagogue was open, and Jesus went there and 
preached, explaining the true meaning of the wondrous 
meal that he had given the multitude the day before, 
lie told them that he was the living bread that came 
down from heaven ; that he himself had come from 
heaven to reveal God to men, and to do His will, and 
that men who desired eternal life must accept him and 
take him for the very sustenance of their lives, as they 
take their food and drink. 

Bar-joses heard it all with rapture ; it was beginning 
to seem to him very clear and very natural. But as he 
looked around over the congregation he saw that the 
people were not pleased ; they were murmuring to one 
another and finding fault with his words, and when at 
last the service was over, instead of following him about 
as usual, so that he could get no rest, they turned coldly 
from him, and those who did not live in. Capernaum 
soon left the town. 

For the first time in many months Jesus and the 
twelve walked through the streets alone; even those 
who had long been his disciples kept coldly aloof. The 
humble fisher boy was almost their only follower as they 
walked to the house of Zebedee, which Salome had 
asked them to consider their home during this stay in 
Capernaum. 

When they went into the house and were set down 


168 


OAPEKNAUM. 


Jesus was silent for a little while, a look of deep sad- 
ness on his face. The disciples kept silence in reverent 
sympathy, but at last he looked around upon them with 
an expression of love that was to them the more pre- 
cious because it seemed to appeal to their love, and 
asked, “ Would you also go away ? ” 

With intense feeling Peter exclaimed, “Lord, to 
whom shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal 
life.” 

The expression of joy came back again to Jesus’ eyes 
as Peter went on, in a voice of deep and reverent feel- 
ing, “ and we believe and know that you are the Holy 
One of God.” 

Again Jesus looked round upon them all with the 
joy of one who looks upon a precious treasure. Yet 
presently a shade passed over his face and he said, 
“ Did I not choose you twelve, and one of you is an 
adversary ? ” 

Ho one answered him ; it seemed to them that they 
could not have heard correctly. Bar-joses, who had 
been standing respectfully in the doorway, was obliged 
to go to his work, but as his hands were busy with his 
toil he was wondering in his mind if it could possibly 
be that any one who had really known Jesus could be 
anything else but his friend and lover. 


CHAPTER XXVII. 


HOW OBED LEARNED TO BELIEVE. 

A few days later Jesus and his disciples went away, 
but not to the Passover, where every one in Capernaum 
who could go was now gone, for Jesus knew that his 
presence there might lead the Jews to try to make him 
king and so bring down the displeasure of the Roman 
Governor, Pontius Pilate, upon them. He wanted to 
be alone with his twelve disciples for a time, and in- 
struct them more perfectly, now that they had come to 
see that he must be really the Son of God. And so he 
led them away to the northward, in the direction of 
Phoenicia, and for some . time Bar-joses saw nothing of 
them. 

Antipas was gone to the Passover ; he was to remain 
in Jerusalem for a whole year in his Uncle Nicodemus’s 
house, that he might study at the feet of the celebrated 
Rabbi Gamaliel. His absence made Bar-joses feel the 
loneliness all the more ; but little Janna was in Caper- 
naum, and Tabitha, and they still took pleasure in meet- 
ing at Mary’s to talk about J esus. And every one of 
these three children whom the Lord loved had a greater 
pleasure still ; it was in feeling sure that all that they 
did, study, work, play even, they were doing with love 
to Jesus in their hearts, as his true disciples and servants. 

One day, as Bar-joses and Janna were out in the 

(169) 


170 


OBED COMES SEEKING JESUS. 


market-place together, they met a man whom they had 
both known in their old home, Nazareth. It was Obed, 
the father of poor Nathan. “ Tell me where Jesus is,” 
said Obed, speaking harshly as he always did, yet with 
some anxiety. 

“ Oh,” exclaimed Janna with delight, “ are you going 
to be his disciple too ? ” 

Obed scowled and did not answer, and Bar-joses 
asked after Nathan. 

“ He is worse,” said Obed abruptly, “ a great deal 
worse, and they are all talking so much about Jesus 
curing such complaints, I thought perhaps I might as 
well try and see if he could do anything for the boy.” 

“ Why, of course he can ! ” said Janna. “ He always 
cures every one that asks him.” 

“ It’s not likely he has had so hard a case to cure as 
my poor Nathan,” said the father gloomily. “I’m 
afraid there’s not much hope. It’s only a last resort. 
But where is Jesus? I’ve brought Nathan here — a 
pretty hard journey, I can tell you.’ ; 

“ I’m sorry,” said Bar-joses, “ but Jesus isn’t here 
now. He has been away a good while.” 

“ And you don’t know where he is ? ” asked Obed in 
a discouraged tone. 

“We hear about him now and then,” replied Bar- 
joses. “ He was near Tyre, and there they say he healed 
a Greek woman’s daughter who must have been as badly 
off as Nathan.” 

“ A Greek woman ! ” said Obed, with his old sneer. 
“ Why should he care about Gentiles ? ” 


CAPERNAUM. 


171 


“ And then he was in the Decapolis beyond the lake, 
and there he did some very mighty works,” went on 
Bar-joses, “ and yesterday a man whose eyes he had 
opened came from Bethsaida Julias, and said he had 
gone northward toward Cesarea Philippi.” 

Obed uttered a sound between a scoff and a groan. 
“ If I were to follow him, I don’t see how I could get 
Nathan there,” he said. 

“ You don’t need to take Nathan,” said Janna. “ He 
cured Antipas when he was ’way off, and the centurion’s 
servant too, didn’t he, Bar-joses ? ” 

“ Nonsense ! ” sneered Obed ; “ you needn’t try to 
make me believe that. No ; I’d take Nathan there and 
give him that one chance if I could.” 

“ Obed,” said Bar-joses, “ I’ll tell you what ! My 
mistress, Salome, would be glad, I’m sure, to send some 
things to her sons and to Jesus. She will let me go if 
I ask her, and then I can help you with Nathan.” 

Obed looked touched, but he said gruffly, “ How come 
you to be so much interested in Nathan all at once ? ” 

u Why, don’t you know, Obed ? ” asked little Janna. 
“ It’s because we love Jesus,” and for once Obed did 
not sneer. 

It was as Bar-joses had thought ; Salome was pleased 
with the suggestion that he should carry some comforts 
to Jesus and to his disciples, and the next day they 
set forth, Bar-joses leading a donkey laden with the 
things which he had in charge, and Obed sometimes 
leading, sometimes carrying his afflicted son. 

They went north along the steep valley of the Upper 


m 


CESAREA PHILIPPI. 


Jordan, with snowy Hermon ever before them. It was 
not difficult to keep in the footprints of Jesus and his 
disciples, for every one along the way had been either 
interested or curious to see him. But they could not go 
fast, not only because Nathan was very weak, but be- 
cause the violent attacks of his fearful malady were so 
frequent and his agony in them so great. It seemed 
sometimes as if they must give up the attempt. Yet 
they pressed on ; Bar-joses was so certain that Jesus 
could cure the boy that he kept Obed’s wavering cour- 
age up to the mark. 

At last they knew that they had arrived ; at the foot 
of a hill there was a great crowd, such as only collected 
where Jesus was. But when, all eagerness and hope, 
they had actually reached the multitude, a great disap- 
pointment met them. Andrew was there, and Matthew 
and Thomas and several of the other disciples, but Jesus 
was not there, nor Peter, James, and John. They were 
gone up to the top of the mountain. 

The Apostles had healed demoniacs when they were 
out on their preaching tour, and they tried to heal 
Nathan, but they did not succeed. Obed was not sur- 
prised ; he had known all along, he said bitterly, that 
he was coming on a fool’s errand ; and at his words a 
great uproar arose in the crowd over the disciples’ fail- 
ure. Nothing could have been worse for Nathan, but 
happily at that moment they saw Jesus and the three 
disciples coming down the hill. 

“ Now, now ! ” exclaimed Bar-joses, “ go and ask 
him ! ” and he drew Obed along. All the multitude 


OBED TRIES TO BELIEVE. 


173 


ran to meet Jesus, and Obed among the first. Embit- 
tered as be had been at the failure of the disciples, it 
was almost in despair that he fell on his knees, crying, 
“ Master, I beseech you look on my son, my only 
child ! ” He forgot that Jesus knew of his son’s 
malady, he forgot how good Jesus had been in old 
times to poor Hathan, and he went on in his anguish 
describing how his poor epileptic son suffered, often 
falling into the fire in his convulsions, and often into 
the water. Even while he was speaking the poor child 
was taken with a horrible convulsion, falling on the 
ground and writhing and foaming at the mouth. With 
a groan of despair Obed exclaimed : 

u If you can do anything , have compassion on us and 
help us ! ” 

There was no faith in Jesus in the appeal, there was 
only desperation, as at a last resort ; and so Jesus an- 
swered gently : 

“If / can? Ho, rather if you can ! All things are 
possible to him who believes.” 

And Obed saw something of the truth. He strug- 
gled to believe, and yet he could not, and once more in 
agony he cried, “ Lord, I believe ! Oh, help my un- 
belief ! ” 

The countenance of Jesus was suffused with holiest 
pity as he turned to the boy and spoke the word of 
command. And the convulsions ceased, and the boy 
lay quiet, and then Jesus took him by the hand and 
raised him up and gave him to his father perfectly well. 

They returned all together to Capernaum, Obed de- 


174 


THE UPPER JORDAN VALLEY. 


termined from that time forth to follow Jesus and be 
his disciple, and Nathan unspeakably happy to be near 
Jesus, who had been so good to him. But Bar-joses 
went back as one stunned with grief, for on the way 
Jesus told them that he was one day to be put to death 
by wicked men ; and though he told them also that he 
should rise again on the third day, Bar-joses could not 
understand what that could mean. John and Peter and 
the other disciples after much perplexed discussion came 
to the conclusion that it must be one of Jesus’ parables, 
that he must mean that the Pharisees and Scribes would 
put him down for a little while, and then he would rise 
up again with greater power ; and Bar-joses at last con- 
cluded that he could not mean anything else. 

One day, however, Jesus said things that made them 
all understand a little better than they had ever done 
before just what his servants had to do in his kingdom. 
He had been talking alone with the twelve ; but pres- 
ently he called all the others to him, and Bar-joses and 
Nathan sat very close beside him, as he always loved to 
have the children do. And then he said : 

“ If any man would come after me, let him deny 
himself and take up his cross and follow me.” 

Bar-jose3 knew that the Homans put criminals to 
death on the cross, and he understood very well that 
these words meant that the disciples of Jesus must be 
ready to bear any suffering for his sake. 

And then Jesus went on : “ Whoever tries to save 
his life shall lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my 
sake shall save it.” And that Bar-joses also could 


THE SECRET OF BAR-JOSES’S JOY. 


175 


understand, for he knew by his own experience that 
since he had lost his own life in love of Jesus, and had 
ceased to care for things except as Jesus cared for them, 
or as they affected the interests of his kingdom, he had 
found a joy in living, and a beauty and preciousness in 
everything that he had never known before. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 


HOW THE LORD WAS RECEIVED AT THE FEAST OF 
TABERNACLES. 

In these perplexing days, when so many people had 
turned away from Jesus, his faithful followers were 
much disturbed by confusion of mind about the king- 
dom. Evidently it was not going to be the way they 
had expected — everybody gradually coming to believe 
in Jesus and follow him, until at last the whole nation 
would be his followers. And if not this way, how was 
it to be ? One day a little group had gathered on the 
seaside — Jesus, his twelve disciples, his mother and his 
four brothers, Obed, and the four children, Bar-joses, 
Nathan, Tabitha, and little Janna. James and John, 
Simon and Judas Lebbseus, had for some time been 
talking of the way the kingdom would be finally organ- 
ized when at last all the people had accepted Jesus ; 
and they presently appealed to Jesus with the question, 
“ Who will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ? ” 

For a moment Jesus did not answer; then beckoning 
to Janna, who was playing with Nathan at one side, he 
set the little boy in the middle of the group and said, 
“ Whoever shall humble himself as this little child, he 
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” 

The four who had appealed to Jesus looked at one 
( 176 ) 


WIIAT MAKES ONE GKEAT ? 


177 


another as if they did not understand, and John said, 
“ Master, will you explain to us this parable ? ” 

And Jesus answered, “ You must become as little 
children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, and 
he that is least among you, the most like a little child, 
is the great one.” 

While Jesus spoke Janna looked up into his face 
with an expression of such heart-whole confidence, such 
entire self-forgetfulness, that John, in the great love he 
bore his Master, saw as in a flash of light the meaning 
of his words. The true greatness was never to think of 
self. This was the example Jesus was always setting, 
and in this, John saw, the simple-hearted children were 
most like him. But the others did not yet understand, 
and Simon asked again, “ Lord, what makes the little 
child great ? ” 

And Jesus smiled and took Janna in his arms and 
said, “ Whoever receives a little child like this in my 
name receives me, and whoever receives me receives 
not me but Him that sent me.” 

At that a solemn reverence fell upon them all, for 
they knew that He who had sent Jesus was God. And 
they saw that to receive God w.as indeed to be great, 
but that He could not be received into any heart that 
was occupied with self. And presently Jesus said, in a 
tone of such awful solemnity that they never forgot it, 
“ Whoever shall cause one of these little ones that be- 
lieve in me to stumble, it were better for him that a 
great millstone were hanged about his neck and he were 
cast into the sea.” 


178 


JERUSALEM. 


The disciples of Jesus had always been kind to the 
children, but after this they were most careful of them, 
both because Jesus loved them and because he had 
given a little child as a model for the members of his 
kingdom. 

In Jerusalem about this time Anti pas and Mark were 
eagerly intent upon preparations for the Feast of Taber- 
nacles. Anti pas had never been in Jerusalem before at 
this feast, which came in the autumn after all the har- 
vests had been gathered in, but Mark had told him all 
about it — how gay the city was, how full of merriment 
and jollity, no one staying in his house, but every one, 
except the women and little babies, living in booths or 
leafy “ tabernacles ” made of green branches. The 
boys had helped in the building of the booths ; Antipas 
in the splendid court of his uncle’s palace, Mark on the 
roof of his father’s house. Both were eagerly expecting 
friends ; Antipas, his father and his father’s young 
friend, Lazarus of Bethany, and Mark his mother’s 
friend, Peter, and the four brothers of Jesus. But he 
had not heard whether Jesus was coming or not. 

On the day before the feast the two boys, having 
finished their preparations, took a long walk to see the 
transformed city. Every street and public square, every 
court and housetop, every garden, and all the fields out- 
side the town as far as a Sabbath day’s journey, were 
green with the booths of fresh-cut branches ; the crowds 
were nearly as great as at the Passover time, and every 
one was gay and mirthful. Wherever people were 
talking seriously it was always about Jesus — would he 



JEWS OF JERUSALEM. 




THE EESTAL PROCESSION. 


179 


come to the feast ? Nearly every one expected him to 
come. 

The day the great Galilean caravan entered the city, 
Mark and Agrippa joined a large party of Jerusalem 
Jews who were going out to meet it, carrying the palm 
branches bound with willow, which were the emblems 
of the feast. “ Where is he ? ” they asked of every- 
body in the caravan ; “ is he not coming to the feast ? ” 
And then there was much animated discussion, some 
saying, “ He is a good man,” and others saying, “ He is 
a deceiver ; ” but in this discussion neither of the boys 
took part. They had found Peter and the other dis- 
ciples and the brothers of Jesus, but Jesus was not 
with them. 

Early next morning the boys were waiting near the 
temple to join the joyous procession that went with 
music and rejoicing down the long steps from the tem- 
ple mount to the deep Tyropaean valley, and so through 
the valley of the Kidron to the pool of Siloam. There 
the priest who led them drew water in a golden pitcher, 
according to the Psalm, “ with joy shall ye draw water 
out of the wells of Salvation.” 

And then it was carried back to the temple, and 
received with blasts of the silver trumpets, and poured 
into a silver basin at the side of the altar, while the 
wine of the drink-offering was poured on the other side, 
and the great temple choir burst forth in the singing 
of the Hallel, the fresh voices of the Levite children 
rising high above the deep bass of the men singers. 
Then the sacrifices were offered, and while the smoke 


180 


JERUSALEM. 


of the sacrifices was rising up from the altar the whole 
company of priests formed a procession and marched 
around it, singing, “ 0 then, now work salvation, Je- 
hovah ! ” 

The afternoon was given up to the festive meal, hut 
in the evening the whole city came to the temple to 
see the lighting of the four great golden candelabras, 
fifty feet high, which were placed in the Court of the 
Women, and so illumined the city that there was not a 
court in all Jerusalem from which the darkness was not 
chased away by the light from the temple. While the 
young sons of priests were on the high ladders lighting 
the lamps a company of temple attendants danced be- 
fore the people with lighted torches in their hands, and 
a great orchestra of Levites, with harps and lutes and 
all sorts of instruments, stood on the steps leading down 
from the Court of Israel, playing and singing hymns, 
while two priests came down the steps blowing trum- 
pets and marched through to the Beautiful Gate on 
the east, and then turning faced the Holy Place and 
said, “ Our eyes are toward the Lord.” 

The sight was most inspiring, as day after day these 
ceremonies were repeated. The splendor of lights and 
music and the magnetism of immense crowds wrought 
strongly upon Antipas. He had never realized before 
the majesty of Israel’s worship of God. 

At home, at the festive meals, the talk was much 
about Jesus. Lazarus and Nicodemus, who had many 
acquaintances, said that every one was wondering wheth- 
er, after all, he would not come. But on the third day 


JESUS AT THE FEAST.’ 


181 


of the feast Mark, coming to see Antipas, brought 
word that Jesus had arrived. 

“ He was unwilling to come up with a caravan,” 
explained Mark, “ because they would have tried again 
to make him king as they did at Bethsaida last Passover 
season.” 

“ Such an attempt would be disastrous indeed,” said 
Chuza, “ here, under the very eyes of the Roman guard, 
doubled, as usual at a feast time.” 

“Why won’t people understand that Jesus knows 
best, father ? ” asked Antipas. “ He will tell them 
when he is ready to be made king.” 

The next day, as they were all in the temple, Jesus 
came, and standing in one of the porticoes began to 
teach the people. He had recognized Antipas and 
Mark with one of those smiles that always thrilled 
their hearts, and he looked pleasantly on them as they 
found a place on the pedestal of one of the columns, 
close beside where he was standing. He told the multi- 
tude that his teaching came from God, and that any 
one who truly desired to do God’s will would know 
that his teaching was true. 

“ A great many believed in Jesus as he was speak- 
ing to-day,” said Lazarus as they sat at table that 
evening. 

Hicodemus looked very grave. “ The Sanhedrin have 
given orders to the temple guard to arrest him,” he 
said. 

Everybody exclaimed with horror ; it seemed impos- 
sible that enmity could go so far as that. 


182 


JERUSALEM. 


“ Do you suppose lie will keep away from the tem- 
ple ? ” asked Lazarus. 

“ Jesus is never afraid,” said Antipas a little proudly 
but with something swelling in his throat. 

Jesus did not come again until the last day, “ the 
great day of the feast,” “ the day of the great Hosanna,” 
as it was called, when the priests made a sevenfold cir- 
cuit round the altar and all the palm branches were 
beaten into pieces beside it. 

The two boys were standing where they could see it 
all ; the water had been poured out from the golden 
pitcher for the last time for a whole year ; the Hallel 
had been sung, the threefold blasts of the silver trum- 
pets had sounded ; a forest of palm branches was being 
waved toward the altar, when they heard a voice sound- 
ing clear and strong through all the temple courts, “ If 
any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.” It 
was Jesus, the boys knew, and they listened breathlessly 
in the great hush of the people, while he went on to 
tell of the blessedness of all who believed in him, how 
he would not only quench their own soul-thirst, but 
make them a blessing to others. 

When he ceased there was an uproar of excitement, 
many saying, “ Truly this is the prophet we are expect- 
ing,” and others, “ This is the Christ ! ” 

But some were perplexed because he came from Gal- 
ilee, whereas they thought the Christ would come from 
Bethlehem. And while they were discussing this ques- 
tion Jesus went away. 

That evening Rabbi Joseph came to visit Nicodemus, 
and they talked of the events of the day. 


THE ORDER FOR JESUS* ARREST. 


183 


“ I did not at all approve of our council sending the 
temple officers to arrest Jesus to-day,” Eabbi Joseph 
said. 

“ Did they do that ? ” exclaimed Chuza. 

“ They feared an uprising of the people and a procla- 
mation of Jesus as the Messiah,” answered Nicodemus. 

“ But he was not arrested ? ” asked Lazarus. 

“ No, the officers were so impressed by his manner 
or something that they could not,” replied Joseph. 
“ ‘ Never man spoke like this man,’ was all they had to 
say when they came back to us without him.” 

“ But, oh, uncle ! ” cried Antipas, “ you won’t let 
Jesus be arrested, will you ? ” 

Nicodemus looked grave, but Joseph said : 

“ Your uncle spoke up manfully for him to-day, An- 
tipas, appealing to law and justice. They taunted him 
for it, but he maintained his point.” 

“ Things are looking dark for Jesus, I fear,” said 
Chuza with a sigh. 

Antipas looked from one to another in distress. Then 
suddenly a light broke over his face. “ I am sure Jesus 
will know what to do,” he said, “and he is our Messiah, 
whether they believe it or not.” 


CHAPTER XXYIX. 

HOW TROUBLE BEGAN TO GATHER ABOUT THE LORD. 

Again Mark and Anti pas heard Jesus speak in the 
temple, on the day called the Octave of the Feast, the 
eighth since it began, which was observed like a Sab- 
bath. 

“ I am the light of the world,” he said, and the boys 
both knew that he had in a manner taken his text from 
the golden candelabra that had been the light of Jeru- 
salem all the past week. Every one who heard him 
knew that this was the same as to say he was the Mes- 
siah ; but the rabbis interrupted him, they did not want 
such a Messiah as he. Still, a great many believed that 
what he said was true, and he went on teaching them 
about himself, how he could make them free from the 
slavery of sin; and finally, when the Pharisees still 
sneered and contradicted, he plainly told them that he 
was not only now the Son of God, but that he had been 
so before he was born into the world as a man. “ Be- 
fore Abraham was, I am ! ” he said. 

When he said the words even Antipas was astounded, 
but when the boy saw the Pharisees rush to gather up 
stones to stone Jesus for blasphemy, Antipas knew that 
those words were really true, for he saw the look that 
Jesus gave the infuriated Pharisees, a look of such 
majesty that they stopped short in their murderous at- 
( 184 ) 


JESUS THE SON OE GOD. 


185 


tack, as if some person had checked them, and looked 
blankly at him, while he calmly walked out of the 
temple. 

Antipas went home with his mind in a ferment. 
Yes, he had long believed that Jesus was the Son of 
God ; but to think that he had once lived with God, 
had known all the glory and dominion and majesty of 
heaven, and yet had come to earth to live as he was 
living, and to let wicked men sneer at him and accuse 
him of wickedness ! Oh, the love, the love for men 
that must have made him do this ! How could Antipas 
ever be loyal enough to him ? What service wou?d ever 
be too hard, what suffering too great, to show his love 
to one who so loved men ? 

The feast was already over ; the parents of Antipas 
had gone home, and now Jesus and his brothers went 
away from Mark’s house, and the boys’ regular routine 
life of study began again. And soon up in Capernaum 
the children were happy, for Jesus came back to them. 

He had only come back for a little while, he told 
them, and he was much occupied in choosing, from 
among those disciples who had been most faithful to 
him, seventy whom he proposed to send out by two 
and two to every city and village where he had ever 
preached. When he had done this he went around 
making farewell visits among his friends, for he had 
decided to leave Capernaum and go to Jerusalem. But 
he was not too busy to gather the children around him. 
Little Janna and Nathan and Tabitha were with him a 
great deal during those few days. 


186 


CAPERNAUM. 


Bar-joses, who heard everything that was going on, 
heard some of the Pharisees advising Jesus to go away, 
because Herod was plotting to kill him. John had told 
the boy of the enmity of the Pharisees and priests of 
the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem ; of their attempts to arrest 
him, and how it was only the majesty of Jesus, and the 
presence at the feast of great numbers of people from 
Galilee who believed in him, which had prevented their 
carrying our their plots. And when Bar-joses heard 
the counsel of the Galilean Pharisees and the majestic 
answer of Jesus, who was not to be hurried in his 
plans by any such warning, his mind was made up. 
Henceforth for good or for ill he would follow Jesus. 
Whether his kingdom was ever to be set up on earth or 
not did not matter ; Jesus was king in his heart, and he 
felt as if, now that the rulers were turning against him, 
his true servants ought to rally close around him. 

All the friends of Jesus knew now that trouble was 
about him ; that though countless numbers believed in 
and loved him, the rulers were against him; and this 
had made a great many draw back from him. And 
therefore they could not help wondering at the impres- 
sion that he always gave them of being more than ever 
full of joy. They wondered all the more, because he 
was at the same time sorrowful. On the day when he 
sent the Seventy forth, he spoke such words of sad warn- 
ing to those cities that had known him best, Capernaum 
and the neighboring towns, that they knew his heart 
was aching sorely, not with disappointment for himself, 
but with grief for those who had failed to believe in 


THE LORD JESUS WITH THE CHILDREN. 187 


him ; and jet all the time it seemed as if deep down in 
his heart the fountain of joy was still flowing, and some- 
times it seemed to bubble up and overflow his whole 
being, making his face almost glorious, as if from a 
light within. The children sometimes heard the women 
who knew him best, Joanna and Rachel and Jesus’ 
mother and Mary of Magdala, speaking of this with awe 
and wonder ; they themselves felt it, though they would 
not have known what it was they felt if they had not 
been told. 

It was indeed when the children were around him 
that his joy seemed deepest, or at least most evident. 
One day when they were all sitting at his feet, listening 
to the words he was saying to a multitude who had 
gathered round him as in the old times, he suddenly 
broke off, and looking at the children, at Bar-joses and 
Tabitha and Nathan and Janna, with a joy that made 
their hearts thrill in response, he exclaimed : “ I thank 
Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou 
hast hid these things from the wise and understanding 
and didst reveal them unto babes ; yea, Father; for so it 
was well pleasing in Thy sight ! ” And to Bar-joses it 
almost seemed as if the love of the children and their 
simple acceptance of his teaching was in part the reason 
of his going on to say to the multitude : “ All things 
have been delivered to me of my Father, and no man 
knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the 
Father is except the Son, and he to whom the Son wills 
to reveal Him.” 

And then a great wave of pity seemed to sweep over 


188 


CAPERNAUM. 


his face, and stretching out his arms to the multitude he 
exclaimed in that voice of sweet compassion which they 
had so often heard, “ Come unto me, all ye that labor 
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take 
my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and 
lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls ; for 
my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

Bar- joses and all the children, even little Janna, under- 
stood what Jesus meant in saying that his yoke was easy. 
From their babyhood they had heard duty of all kinds 
spoken of as a yoke, but the special yoke was that of the 
law, and that had been made very heavy by the hun- 
dreds of commands that the rabbis had added to the Law 
of Moses. And every one of these children knew how 
light was the yoke cf J esus, how easy it was to obey one 
who loved them so, and made them his true friends and 
cherished companions. 

And Bar-joses was old enough to feel to the very 
depths of his heart the truth of what J esus said to- the 
disciples after he had sent the multitude away : “ Blessed 
are the eyes that see the things which you see, for I tell 
you that many prophets and kings have longed to see 
the tilings that you see and to hear the things that you 
hear.” 


CHAPTER XXX. 


HOW THOSE WHO LOVED THE LORD CAST IN THEIR LOT 
WITH HIM. 

It was not long before Jesus was ready to bid fare- 
well to Capernaum. 

There were others besides Bar-joses who had resolved 
to follow Jesus. Ilis mother and her sister Salome, the 
mother of James and John ; and Mary of Magdala, 
whose life had been devoted to his service since he had 
cured her of her dreadful malady ; and Mary, the wife 
of Clopas, the sister-in-law of Jesus’ mother, and mother 
of James the Little and Judas Lebbseus and Simon the 
Zealot ; and Obed and Hathan, and even Ezra and Ruth 
and the little Janna were of his party. They all loved 
him most devotedly, and they were all willing to go 
through any privation for his sake, and nearly all of 
them believed that the glorious end was near at hand, 
that before very long the enmity of even the Sanhedrin 
would be overcome by his goodness, and all Israel would 
own Jesus as their King. 

They did not propose to follow him in idleness, or be 
dependent on the kindness of those who loved Jesus. 
Ezra carried with him his pack ; Obed had his trade of 
wool-carder, and proposed to find employment in any 
village where they might sojourn a day or two. Bar- 

( 189 ) 


190 


THE BOEDEE OF SAMAEIA. 


joses was ready to do any sort of work that he could 
find. The women had enough to do in looking after 
the comfort of the Master and his disciples and caring 
for the children. 

The hospitable habits of those times made them sure 
of a welcome and a night’s lodging everywhere, and in 
case there should not be accommodation for so many in 
the small villages, there was no man or boy among them 
all that would not gladly sleep out-of-doors, even in the 
nights of the winter which was now drawing near, for 
the sake of being with Jesus. 

They set out to go by the nearest way, through 
Samaria, but as the party was so large and the Samari- 
tans did not generally feel kindly toward the Jews, 
Jesus sent James and John forward to ask for hos- 
pitality. But the company had hardly reached the bor- 
ders of Samaria when they met James and John coming 
to meet them in a tempest of wrath ; the Samaritans 
refused to receive them. Such an insult to their Lord 
seemed unendurable, especially from the hated Samari- 
tans ; in hot indignation they asked him if they might 
not call down fire from heaven, as Elijah had once done, 
and burn up the whole village. 

None of the children ever forgot the expression of 
Jesus’ face, or the tones of his voice, as he gently an- 
swered the two fiery brothers : “You do not know the 
spirit of your own calling. The Son of Man did not 
come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give 
his life a ransom for many.” And at those words John 
and James recalled to mind that not one of their Mas- 


THE LORD’S FRIENDS FOLLOW IIIM. 191 


tor’s miracles had ever been done in the slightest degree 
for his own benefit, and they understood better than ever 
before the purpose of their calling as Apostles. Eut to 
Bar-joses the last part of what Jesus’ said, “ To give his 
life a ransom for many,” blotted out the impression of 
the rest, for with anguish of heart he recalled the words 
that Jesus had spoken in northern Galilee, that he 
should be killed and rise again. Oh, what did it mean ? 

It was late and they were tired, but they cheerfully 
followed Jesus as he turned away from Samaria and 
went down toward the fords of the Jordan through the 
green valley of Jezreel. At Beth Shean they passed the 
night. It was only a mile away from the place where 
Bar-joses had first believed in Jesus ; and late though it 
was, he went out when all the evening work was done, 
and every one had lain down to sleep, and walked to the 
brink of the deep river cleft, looking across it to the road 
up which, on that blessed day that had made life new 
for him, he had seen Jesus walking, with glory and joy 
upon his face. As he stood there thinking of it, he 
heard a step beside him ; it was John, whom already 
they were beginning to call the “ Disciple whom Jesus 
loves.” He had come, like Bar-joses, to look upon a 
place most sacred to him. 

The next day they crossed the river into Perea by 
the ferry that connected the two parts of the great 
caravan route, and here they spent several happy weeks. 
Here the prophet John had preached and baptized and 
proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God, and some of the 
Seventy had only lately passed this way, teaching the 


192 


PEREA. 


Pereans about Jesus; so they received him gladly. In 
one or another of their villages he would stay for days 
at a time, and the people gathered around him and lis- 
tened to his teachings as the Galileans had done in the 
earlier days. 

And though JBar-joses and the other children had 
heard many wonderful words from his lips, they now 
heard teachings which seemed to them more beautiful, 
more tender, more easy to understand, than anything he 
had ever said before. 

One thing that Bar-joses noticed about Jesus in these 
days was that he was much in prayer. The boy had often 
known Jesus to pray ; in the early mornings when he was 
going about his work he had many a time met him com- 
ing in from some solitary place with a light on his coun- 
tenance, as if he had been looking toward the sun ; but 
now he noticed that he often withdrew a little from the 
company and prayed, and many of his parables had for 
their purpose to encourage them all to pray. One day, 
in answer to the request of some of the Pereans who 
had become his disciples, he taught them how to pray, 
and Bar-joses and Nathan and Janna, kneeling with 
them, repeated from his lips the prayer that every 
Christian child from that day to this has learned to say, 
“ Our Father who art in heaven.” 

Another thing that made this journey beautiful was 
that Jesus seemed, if possible, more than ever to love 
to have the children with him. Once the mothers of a 
certain village, seeing that he was surrounded by chil- 
dren, took courage to bring their own little ones to 



MOTHERS BRINGING THEIR CHILDREN. 







LITTLE CHILDREN BROUGHT TO THE LORD. 193 


him, babies and little clinging ones, such as Janna had 
been two or three years before, and asked him to lay 
his hands on them and bless them. The three brothers, 
Judas Lebbseus and Simon the Zealot and James the 
Little, as they called him to distinguish him from 
John’s tall brother, wanted to send these poor mothers 
away, lest so many children should disturb Jesus, but 
Jesus said, “ Let the little children come unto me ; do 
not forbid them, for they are of the kind who belong 
to the kingdom of heaven.” And he called to the little 
ones and took them in his arms, and laid his hands on 
their little heads and blessed them ; and when he gave 
them back to their mothers, he said to his disciples, “ I 
tell you truly you must receive the kingdom of God in 
the spirit of a little child, or you cannot enter it.” 

A few weeks passed like this, and then Jesus left his 
friends for a few days, for he wanted to keep the mid- 
winter Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem. Bar-joses 
could not go with him ; indeed, he wished to take no 
one except the twelve ; perhaps he wanted to see how 
the Sanhedrin were feeling toward him, and did not 
wish to do anything to arouse public excitement ; at 
least this thought occurred to Bar-joses, and perhaps he 
was right. 


CHAPTER XXXI. 


HOW ANTIPAS SAW THE LORD AT THE FEAST OF LIGHTS. 

On the afternoon before the Feast of the Dedication 
Antipas and Mark went out to Bethany to visit their 
friends, Lazarus and Mary. And there they found 
Jesus ! Martha had sent him an invitation by two of 
the Seventy to pass the time of this feast at her house, 
and he had accepted it. 

When the boys got there they found Martha bustling 
about, taking care that things should be especially nice 
for Jesus ; but Mary was sitting at his feet, listening to 
his teaching. Antipas did not wonder that she could 
not think of work when she could hear the Master talk, 
and knowing Jesus as he did, he was sure that Mary 
was doing what would best please him. He soon learned 
that he was right, for presently Martha came out and 
asked Jesus to bid Mary come and help her, and not 
leave her to do everything alone. And Jesus looked at 
her with a smile that was half sympathy and half reproof, 
and said, “ Martha, Martha, you are full of your house- 
hold cares, and have many things on your mind ; but 
one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen for herself 
the good part which shall not be taken away from her.” 
Then Martha saw that with one like Jesus, whose whole 
life was given to making people better, it was a far 
( 194 ) 


JERUSALEM. 


195 


higher honor to care for what he said than to serve him, 
no matter how luxuriously. 

The next Sabbath, when Anti pas went with his uncle 
to the temple service, every one was telling how Jesus 
had given sight to a man who was born blind, a thing 
never supposed possible before. And when he went to 
the evening service at three o’clock, Mark told him that 
people were saying that the Sanhedrin, not daring again 
to bring up against Jesus the accusation of breaking 
the Sabbath law, had tried in vain to prove that the 
man who said he had been healed was only an impostor. 
Jesus had come into Jerusalem, Mark said, and w T as 
spending the Sabbath at his mother’s house, and after 
sunset Nicodemus and Antipas went to see him. 

Many other people had come to see him, and Jesus 
told a parable which few of those present could quite 
understand, but which went to the heart of Antipas 
with a sharp pang, boy though he was. He and the other 
Capernaum children had often heard Jesus tell about 
the good shepherd who sought the wandering sheep 
and saved it from the wolf, but in these stories the 
shepherd had always come back rejoicing, bringing with 
him the sheep that had been lost, having saved it from 
the ravenous beast. But in this story the wolf killed 
the sheep, and Jesus plainly told his hearers that he 
meant himself. “ I am the good shepherd ; the good 
shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep.” What 
could it mean ? No one surely could be wicked enough 
actually to kill Jesus ! “ Therefore the Father loves 

me, because I lay down my life for the sheep,” Jesus 


196 


JERUSALEM. 


went on ; “ no one takes it from me, but I lay it 
down myself.” 

At these words Antipas remembered with a flash the 
words of Jesus that his Uncle Hicodemus had told him, 
“ God so loved the world.” It all seemed part of one 
thing — was it for the sake of the sheep who would not 
be saved that the good shepherd was willing to give up 
his life in fighting the wolf ? And as he looked at 
Jesus he thought he had never seen such an expression 
of love and joy and power as shone in his face as he 
went on, “ I have power to lay down my life and I 
have power to take it again.” Oh, what could such 
words mean ? As Antipas hung upon Jesus’ words with 
all his heart in his eyes, he thought that the Master 
looked upon him and smiled. 

The next day was the Feast of the Dedication, or, as 
the children called it, the Feast of Lights. 

In every house a candle was lighted for each member 
of the household. Each day of the festival week an 
additional candle would be lighted for each person, so 
that in a house like that of Nicodemus, where there 
were numerous servants, there would be more than a 
hundred candles burning on the seventh day, and every 
house in the city, however poor, would be brightly 
illuminated. But though Antipas was interested in the 
illuminations, he was more interested in Jesus, and he 
spent nearly all his time in Bethany hearing him talk. 

Jesus did not go often to the temple during this 
feast, but one day Antipas and Mark found him there 
walking in the portico called Solomon’s Porch, where 
the winter sun shone most beautifully. The Pharisees 


lord’s teaching at the feast of lights. 197 

came and asked him to tell them plainly if he was the 
Messiah, but it was clear enough that they were only 
trying to find some reason to accuse him. Antipas, 
whose whole soul was filled with indignation at the 
plots of the Sanhedrin, could not help wondering at the 
patience with which Jesus answered, “ I have told you 
and you do not believe.''’ Then he went on to say that 
their question showed that they were not his sheep, for 
the sheep recognized the voice of the shepherd. And 
looking around at his disciples and Antipas and Mark, 
who stood a little apart, he added with that expression 
of love and power which they knew so well, “ And I 
know my sheep and they shall never perish, and I give 
them eternal life, and no one shall snatch them out of 
my hand.” 

Many times in the trials that came to him when he 
was a man, long after Jesus had gone away, Antipas 
remembered these words, and the countenance of his 
Lord as he spoke them. 

It did not startle Antipas now to hear Jesus add, “ I 
and the Father are one;” but the Pharisees immediate- 
ly flew to take up stoneS to stone him for blasphemy. 
Jesus calmly stood his ground and argued his statement 
with them, and though they would not accept his teach- 
ings, they dared not throw the stones. And so when 
he had finished he went quietly away. But he did not 
remain longer in Jerusalem. As Nicodemus sadly told 
Antipas, he had given the Sanhedrin one more oppor- 
tunity to accept him, and they had refused it. He 
went back to Perea, where his friends w 7 ere awaiting 
him, and Antipas saw him no more for a while, 


CHAPTER XXXII. 


HOW IN PEREA THEY WERE GLAD TO SEE THE LORD 
RETURN. 

In Perea they rejoiced to have him back. To Bar- 
joses and the other children it was like the rising of the 
sun on a new day. They went back now to that village 
of Bethany on the bank of the Jordan, where the Bap- 
tist had so long been preaching, and where Jesus had 
first been pointed out as the Lamb of God. The syna- 
gogue rulers of the neighboring villages sent for him to 
preach ; some of the Pharisees invited him to dine with 
them ; and at this time the despised tax-gatherers and 
the notorious sinners began to gather round him in 
great numbers. Perhaps it was this that made him 
teach in plainer language than ever before ; and when 
the Scribes and Pharisees of Perea complained at his 
receiving these common wicked people, he told some 
of the most beautiful parables he ever uttered. Even 
Janna and Nathan understood them, and they gave to 
Bar-joses a new view of the love of God for men — that 
he does not hate sinners, but longs to see them repent 
and be made good, longs for this with all the love of a 
Father’s heart. The parable in which Bar-joses most 
clearly learned this was one about the Prodigal Son. 
The story was of a father who had two beloved sons — 
( 198 ) 


THE PARABLE OF THE FATHER’S LOVE. 199 


so well beloved that even during his own lifetime he 
gave to each an abundant portion of goods, making 
them, if they chose to be so, independent and free to 
do as they liked. The elder son, however, dutifully 
remained at home, a comfort and joy to his father’s 
heart, but the younger chose to leave home and plunge 
into wild and riotous living. The father, whose heart al- 
ways yearned over him in love and who knew what must 
be the end of such a course, was always on the watch 
for the beloved though wayward son to come back, and 
one day he saw him a long way off returning, a ragged 
famished wretch. The wayward son had squandered 
all his wealth and been reduced to starvation.' He had 
fallen so low as to be obliged to hire himself out to feed 
swine, a most degrading occupation for a Jew, for only 
Gentiles kept swine, and he must serve a Gentile mas- 
ter. And while thus wretched he had thought with 
regret of his father’s house and the luxuries that even 
the hired servants there enjoyed, and he had resolved 
to go back and confess his sin to his father and ask for a 
servant’s place in his house. 

But when he saw that outraged father running to 
meet him a long way off with no reproof on his counte- 
nance, but only love and joy to see his son returning, he 
realized that he had quite mistaken his father’s love. 
He saw that no matter how great his sin, his father was 
always ready to forgive, that it was impossible for a 
father to make a servant of his son, or even to think of 
him as anything but a son. He saw that a father is one 
who loves through all outrage and neglect and is glad to 


200 


PEREA. 


forgive the repentant child. And so he fell on his 
knees and confessed his sin, hut said nothing about 
being a servant. How could he when now for the first 
time in his life he understood what it was to be a son ? 

Then the father raised him up from his knees and 
called to his servants to clothe him in robes of honor 
and prepare a feast of welcome, with invited guests, for 
the great joy of a father’s heart over a repenting son 
needs the fellowship of others in its joy. 

The elder brother, being only a brother and not a 
father, did not understand this, and thought at first that 
to welcome the wayward son was to do injustice to him- 
self who had always been obedient. But the father re- 
minded him that the perfect love and companionship 
which had always been between themselves was in itself 
the best reward for well doing, and that the nearer he 
was, by love, to his father, the more he would rejoice in 
the return of his brother to the joys he himself had al- 
ways known. 

There were still many in these days who wanted to 
become the disciples of Jesus, but now, as Bar-joses and 
all the twelve observed, he would not have them to do 
it without considering all that it might cost them, and 
he told them a parable of the king, who before he declares 
war considers whether he is ready with ten thousand 
men to meet the enemy who will bring twenty thousand, 
explaining that to be his disciple one must be ready, if 
necessary, to give up all who are dearest to him, and 
even his own life. 


HAPPY WEEKS WITH THE LORD JESUS. 201 


When some of them were inclined to be exclusive, 
he showed them by a parable of a man who had been 
robbed and wounded and was succored by a Samaritan, 
that every one was their neighbor to whom they had an 
opportunity to be kind. 

And so day after day he taught them more and more 
of the nature of the kingdom and of what they who 
were its citizens ought to be. 

One teaching especially impressed Bar-joses ; it was 
about being faithful in duty even though their Lord 
might be absent. “ Be always like men that are ex- 
pecting their Master home, that when he comes and 
knocks he may find you ready to open the door at once. 
Blessed are those servants whom the Master, when he 
comes, shall find watching. I tell you truly he will 
make them sit down to a feast and will himself serve 
them.” And then first on Bar-joses’s mind dawned a 
thought of the glorious reunion that might one day take 
place between the servants and their Lord, even though 
for a time he should go away. 

So the solemn, joyous weeks went by, solemn because 
they all felt that a crisis was coming, joyful because 
Jesus was there. Even after all that had happened at 
Jerusalem, and all the warnings that Jesus had spoken, 
they still believed that it would be a glorious crisis, that 
Jesus would be accepted by the nation as the Messiah 
that he truly was. They realized that for them, his 
special friends and trained disciples, the responsibility 
would be very great ; but however solemn the respon- 
sibility, they felt sure that Jesus would be with them, 


202 


PEREA. 


and how could they be anything but joyful and trium- 
phant ? 

44 Do you remember, Bar-joses,” said John to him one 
day, 44 the Master’s answer to the disciples of the Baptist 
when they asked why we did not fast ? 4 Can the chil- 

dren of the bride-chamber mourn while the bridegroom 
is with them ? 5 I think we were never so much like 
children of the bride-chamber as now — never so happy 
or so filled with joy in the joy of another.” 

“Yes,” said Bar-joses with happy eyes; and sud- 
denly the rest of Jesus’ saying came into his mind , 44 but 
the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken 
from them — they will fast in those days.” 

W as this their time of joy, and was the coming time 
to be a time of sorrow ? It did not seem possible, they 
were so happy in him, growing so much from day to 
day in understanding of what he desired them to be and 
of what his kingdom was to be ; and he seemed to be so 
happy in them, their love, their joyful service, their rapt 
attention to his teachings ; what sorrow could the future 
bring ? 


CHAPTEK XXXIII. 


HOW HE WHOM THE LORD LOYED WAS ILL. 

Many interesting things occurred during that happy 
Perean winter ; some that seemed to be full of promise 
and some that were disappointing. One day a young 
man, a ruler in the little Sanhedrin of his own town, 
came running eagerly and, kneeling down before Jesus, 
asked him what he must do to inherit eternal life, which 
he supposed would be given to all who entered the Mes- 
siah’s kingdom. He was so attractive, so earnest and 
enthusiastic and noble-hearted, that Bar-joses did not 
wonder that Jesus looked upon him with love as he 
reminded him that he already knew God’s command- 
ments. 

“ I have kept them all from my youth up,” said the 
young man, and those who looked on his pure face saw 
that he was speaking the truth. 

Still looking on him with love, Jesus answered : 

“ You lack one thing — sell all that you have and give 
to the poor and you shall have treasure in heaven ; and 
come, follow me.” 

Bar-joses looked to see an expression of ecstasy on the 
young ruler’s face — to be admitted among the chosen 
friends of Jesus ! 

But the young man stood irresolute for a moment, 
( 203 ) 


204 


PEREA. 


and then with a look of exceeding sorrow he turned 
away ; he was very rich, and this “ one thing ” he could 
not do. 

Jesus looked after him with deep sadness, and turn- 
ing to his disciples said with a sigh, “ How hardly shall 
they that have riches enter the kingdom of God ! ” 

The disciples looked from one to another — they could 
not understand. Like all the Jews, they had always ex- 
pected the kingdom of God to be one of abounding 
wealth. But Jesus turned to the children, who as 
usual were very near, and said : 

“ Children, how hard it is for them who trust in 
riches to enter into the kingdom of God ; it is easier for 
a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich 
man to enter into the kingdom of God.” 

The children, who never thought about riches, were 
not troubled like the disciples, and they well understood 
what he went on to say of the blessedness of those who 
were willing to leave everything and follow him. And 
Bar-joses, who had never had anything to leave, wished 
exceedingly that that noble-looking young ruler could 
know what he knew of the riches of blessing that he 
might have if he would but follow Jesus. 

In the midst of this peaceful happiness came a mes- 
sage from Bethany, from Martha and Mary : “ Lord, he 
whom thou lovest is sick.” Jesus sent back the mes- 
senger with the message that the result of the sickness 
was not to be death, but the glory of God and the greater 
glory of the Son of God ; and those around him were 
glad to hear this. But they were troubled when two 


SOKROW IN BETHANY. 


205 


days later he asked his disciples to go with him to Judea, 
for they all knew how unfriendly the Sanhedrin was to 
him. The disciples indeed reminded him of the fact 
that its adherents had even tried to stone him ; but when 
he showed them that he was resolved upon going, 
Thomas exclaimed, “ Let us go with him, that we may 
also die with him ! ” and they were all ready to do so ; 
for indeed they sadly feared that the messenger had not 
truly come from Bethany, but was the agent of some 
plot to kill him. 

The friends of the Bethany family were full of sym- 
pathy, for Lazarus was dead. In the homes of Nicode- 
tnus and of the parents of Mark there was true sorrow, 
for these three families had been drawn very closely to- 
gether by the tie of love to Jesus. Mark and Antipas 
grieved exceedingly, not so much for the loss of Lazarus 
as for the sorrow of his sisters. They had grown to love 
Mary as an older sister, she was so lovely and gentle and 
bright, so much interested in them, and so devoted to 
the Master whom they loved. They knew how much 
she loved Lazarus, and long before this Mark had told 
Antipas of the dark shadow that lay over that pleasant 
home and made Lazarus doubly dear and doubly neces- 
sary to his sisters — their father, Simon, was a leper, and 
therefore an outcast. Now in the death of their brother 
they seemed doubly bereaved. 

There was another cause for sorrow, which Antipas 
and Mark felt most keenly : Jesus had known of his 
illness and yet Lazarus had died. The sisters had not 


206 


BETHANY. 


asked him to come — they had known that there would 
be risk in his coming so near to Jerusalem, and there- 
fore in sending a messenger to tell him that his beloved 
friend was sick they had not asked for his presence — 
but he would not have needed to come to make Lazarus 
well. And at the very time when they received his 
message that this sickness was not to end in death Laza- 
rus was already dead. It was like blank darkness to 
think that Jesus could make a mistake; and yet Lazarus 
was dead. 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 


HOW THE LORD CAME TO HIS FRIENDS IN BETHANY. 

The funeral was over, the body of Lazarus had been 
lying nearly four days in the sepulchral cave. The 
house of mourning was still filled with the friends of the 
sisters, who had come from Jerusalem for the funeral 
and had remained to weep and condole with them. 
Nicodemus was there and Rabbi Joseph and many others 
of the Scribes and Pharisees, for the family at Bethany 
had many prominent friends. Mark was there with his 
mother, and of course Antipas was there, his heart and 
head alike bewildered with wondering why Lazarus had 
died. 

Oppressed with the formal consolations of the com- 
pany, he and Mark had wandered a little away from the 
house, when looking down the Jericho road they saw 
Jesus and the twelve disciples coming. Quick as thought 
Mark ran back to the house to tell Martha ; at any other 
time Antipas would have run forward to give his Mas- 
ter a joyful welcome, but now his heart was torn with 
wondering, and he hastily drew back a little from the 
road and waited. He saw Mark disappear in the house 
and Martha come out, running, and as Jesus still came 
up the road she met him close to where Antipas stood. 

( 207 ) 


208 


BETHANY. 


Looking sadly at him, with no formal word of greeting, 
she said almost reproachfully, “ Lord, if you had been 
here my brother would not have died.” • 

Jesus did not reply in words ; he only looked at her, 
but his face was so full of sympathy and power that she 
added eagerly, “ And even now I know that whatever 
you ask of God, He will give it you.” Antipas knew 
that, too, but it seemed to him that he knew more than 
that. Had not Jesus said one day in the temple that 
he had life in himself ? 

But Jesus was speaking ; “ Your brother shall rise 
again,” he said. 

Martha looked up quickly with joy, and then as if 
not daring to believe all that the words might mean, her 
eyes filled with tears, and she said, “I know that he shall 
rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 

That glorious look of power which Antipas had so 
often seen in Jesus’ face seemed to light it up like the 
sun, as he answered : 

“ 1 am the resurrection and the life ; he that believes 
in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever 
lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe 
this ? ” he added with deep tenderness. 

Martha raised her head ; the tears were dried in her 
eyes as she exclaimed in a voice of strong conviction : 

“Yes, Lord ; I believe that you are the Messiah, the 
Son of God, who was promised to come into the 
world.” 

She turned and went back to the house, but Jesus 
stood motionless where she had found him. Still Anti- 


THE GRIEF OF JESUS. 


209 


pas did not move ; he was still bewildered, but above his 
bewilderment was a feeling that to bring himself to 
Jesus’ notice now would be an intrusion. 

In a few minutes he saw the house- door open again, 
and Mary came running quickly, and throwing herself 
upon her knees at Jesus’ feet, she exclaimed in a voice 
almost choked by sobs : 

“ Lord, if you had been here my brother would not 
have died ! ” 

Jesus did not answer her. A look of almost heart- 
broken sorrow swept over his face ; his form seemed to 
quiver with emotion. The friends who had been with 
the sisters in the house, seeing Mary’s hasty departure, 
had supposed that she was going to the grave and had 
followed her, and now they stood about her adding their 
tears to hers. 

A heavy groan burst from the lips of Jesus as he said, 
“ Where have you laid him ? ” and as they said, “ Lord, 
come and see,” tears gushed from his eyes. 

Antipas forgot all his confused wondering, his al- 
most doubts ; his heart was broken at the sight of his 
Master’s tears, and he followed him and the sisters as 
they went toward the tomb. Some of the Jews near 
him were whispering, “ See how he loved him ! ” and 
others were wondering aloud, “ Could not this man who 
opened the eyes of the blind have kept Lazarus from 
dying?” But Jesus went on without speaking, with 
tears and heavy groans. 

So they came to the tomb, a cave hollowed in a rock, 
the opening closed with a stone ; and now Jesus spoke 


210 


BETHANY. 


to some of those who stood near, bidding them roll away 
the stone. 

Martha uttered a hasty word of remonstrance ; Laza- 
rus had been four days dead, and his body must already 
have begun to decay. But Jesus checked her with the 
gentle words, “ Did I not say that if you believed you 
should see the glory of God ? ” And Martha stood 
aside and they rolled away the stone. 

Then Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and thanked 
God for what was going to take place ; and before 
Anti pas, or Mary, or any one present could realize 
what his words meant, he cried aloud, “ Lazarus , come 
forth ! ” 

There was a stir within the tomb, and Lazarus came 
forth, slowly and with difficulty, not because he was 
weak and ill, but because he was swathed in grave 
clothes. And as every one stood transfixed with terror 
and amazement, Jesus recalled them to their senses by 
bidding some one loosen the wrappings that Lazarus 
might walk freely. For indeed he was alive and per- 
fectly well, with no sign of death about him, except the 
white grave clothes. 

But the joy of Antipas was mingled with deep sor- 
row, that he had even for a moment doubted, not the 
love or the power, but the wisdom of his Lord. 


CHAPTER XXXV. 


HOW ANTIPAS WENT BY NIGHT TO WARN THE LORD OF 
DANGER. 

As Nicodemus and Mark’s parents, with the two 
boys, walked back to Jerusalem late that evening, they 
congratulated one another that the raising of Lazarus 
to life would so increase the number of Jesus’ followers 
that the rulers would be forced to acknowledge him, 
whether they would or no. It seemed to Mary, Mark’s 
mother, that now there could be nothing to delay his 
triumph and the open establishment of his kingdom, 
and though Nicodemus better understood the difficulties 
in the way, he felt sure they must all yield before the 
convincing proof that Jesus was the Messiah of his peo- 
ple. Of all those who saw the miracle there was hardly 
one who had not openly expressed his conviction that 
Jesus was indeed He. 

At the foot of Mount Zion Samuel and Mary and 
Mark had said good -night and gone their own way 
home, and Antipas and his uncle had climbed the hill 
to the stately palace near the great bridge. They heard 
quick steps coming across the bridge in the quiet of the 
late evening, and they were hardly seated in the old 
rabbi’s study when Rabbi Joseph came in, out of breath 
with running, and with a countenance very much dis- 
turbed. He closed the door carefully behind him, and 

( 211 ) 


212 


JERUSALEM. 


coming close to Nicodemus said, in a low, horror-stricken 
voice, “ They have resolved upon his death ! ” 

“What!” exclaimed Nicodemus. “Of whom are 
you speaking ? ” 

“ Of Jesus of Nazareth,” replied Rabbi Joseph. “ You 
know of the wonder that took place at Bethany to- 
day ? ” 

“ I saw it,” answered the old man. 

“ And you saw its effect upon those present? ” 

“ What could it have been but to make them be- 
lieve ? ” 

“ Unhappily,” said Rabbi Joseph, “ there are those 
who will not believe because they think their interest 
lies in unbelief. There were one or two of this class 
present at the raising of Lazarus ; they brought the re- 
port to some of the Pharisees. A secret meeting of the 
Sanhedrin was hastily summoned. You, unfortunately, 
were out of town, and were not there to protest ; yet if 
you had been, it would probably not have availed. I 
said all I could, but it was of no use. Caiaphas, the 
high-priest, put the matter in such a way as to appeal 
both to their personal interest and their patriotism, say- 
ing that if the Romans heard of the claims of Jesus they 
would take away the liberties of the people and degrade 
us, the rulers, from our high places ; and then, in his 
capacity of high-priest, he uttered the prophecy that it 
was expedient that one man should die for the people 
rather than that the whole nation should perish. And 
so they decided to have him put to death at the first 
opportunity.” 


ANTIPAS A MESSENGER OF WARNING. 213 


There was a blank silence when Eabbi Joseph ceased 
to speak ; both the old rabbi and his young nephew, 
the boy who loved Jesus so dearly, sat as if stunned. 
Then suddenly Antipas started up : 

“ Uncle, we ought to warn him ! He ought not to 
stay in Bethany now.” 

Hicodemus raised his head. 

“ The twelve are with him ; it hardly seems possible 
that he could be taken unawares. Yet you are right, 
dear boy, he ought to be warned ; but whom can we 
send ? Whom can we trust ? ” 

“Have you no confidential servant?” asked Eabbi 
Joseph. 

“ More than one,” replied Nicodemus. “ But this is 
no common danger.” 

“ Uncle,” said Antipas, “ let me go ! You know you 
can trust me, and there is no need of telling any one 
.else.” 

Eicodemus went to the window and looked out. “ It 
is late, dear boy, and the moon is nearly set, yet if you 
are not afraid — ” 

“ Uncle, I shall not think of fear I shall be thinking 
only of Jesus. Let me go; I can spend the night at 
Bethany and he can be miles away before morning.” 

After some further consultation with Joseph, Nico- 
demus decided that this was the best plan, and the boy 
set out, going down into the Tyropsean Yalley and 
across the vale of Kidron and by the steep short cut 
over the Mount of Olives. He did not notice the dark- 
ness, nor how he stumbled over the stones on the rough 


214 


JERUSALEM. 


hill -path ; his whole heart was occupied with the thought 
of Jesus. 

The way seemed interminably long, yet he found 
himself at Bethany almost before he knew ; and there 
he had the joy of his Master’s loving smile, his Master’s 
approving words. Without agitation, without haste, 
almost as if it had always been a part of his plan, after 
many quiet words of counsel and cheer and encourage- 
ment, Jesus bade them all farewell and went away with 
his disciples. It would not be for long, he told them. 
He would return for the Sabbath before the Passover. 

The twelve disciples had been afraid to have Jesus go 
to Bethany ; they had all thought, with Thomas, that 
he might be going to his death. But when they left 
Bethany for their night journey to some place of hiding 
they were not afraid. The proof of their Master’s power 
at the grave of Lazarus had set them, for the time at 
least, above fear, and though they knew that the rulers 
had resolved to seek his life, they felt sure that nothing 
could happen to Jesus against his own will or without 
his full consent. John, the best beloved of all, walked 
beside his Master along the hill-side paths under the 
solemn light of the stars. His heart beat high with 
hope, for he had heard Jesus promise Lazarus that he 
would return for the Passover, and he felt certain that 
then his Lord’s triumph would come ; then, as he had 
once said long ago, he would be lifted up and would 
draw all people to him ; then all the nations in the world 
would own that he was king indeed. Only a few weeks 
morel 




A FORD OF THE JORDAN. 












JESUS ALONE WITH THE TWELVE. 


215 


These few weeks they spent in a little village almost 
hidden away in the hills of Ephraim. Only the twelve 
were with Jesus, and these were the sweetest days they 
had ever known. No eager multitudes, full of wants 
and woes, absorbing all his time ; no gaping hearers only 
half understanding his words. He was all theirs — his 
time all given to their instruction, his life entirely inter- 
woven with theirs. Many a time in his long after life 
John was sustained through unparalleled sorrows by the 
memory of these sacred weeks. 

John told something of this to Bar-joses when at last 
they were all together again. After Jesus and the 
twelve had left the others at Bethany in Perea to go to 
Bethany in Judea, they had waited patiently, pursuing 
their several callings, until their Lord should come to 
them or send for them to join him. Salome the mother 
of James and John, and Mary the wife of Clopas, had 
gone back to Capernaum for a time, with Bar-joses to 
attend them ; but Mary the mother of Jesus, and Mary 
of Magdala had remained with Ruth and little Janna 
and Nathan, while Ezra and Obed worked for the sup- 
port of all. And presently Salome and Mary and Bar- 
joses returned, bringing the things they had prepared 
for the comfort of Jesus. 

Then the message came from Jesus that they might 
join him. They went down through the valley of the 
mountain torrent, Shaib, and crossed the Jordan at the 
fords near the village Zemaraim, and so by unfrequented 
paths across the Jordan valley and up the steep hill-sides, 
till they found him in the little village Ephraim. 


216 


EPHBAIM. 


Even the children saw a change in him. He was the 
same dear friend he had always been, just as glad to see 
them, as ready to put his arm around them or lay his 
hand upon their shoulder as they stood by his side, 
as willing to listen to what they had to tell him, as in the 
happy days beside the lake ; and yet there was a differ- 
ence. Bar-joses had grown beyond being a child ; he 
was sixteen years old now, and his love for his Master, 
and the earnest thoughts that had been awakened in his 
mind by his Master’s teachings, had made him more 
serious and mature than most boys of his age ; and 
thinking deeply on this change, it seemed to him that 
his Master was looking forward to some great event, 
some crisis in his life. He spoke to John about it, when 
John was telling him of the blessed weeks they had 
passed at Ephraim, and John quite agreed with him. 
Jesus was looking forward to his triumph, the beloved 
disciple thought ; but to Bar-joses it did not seem quite 
like that. His mind had never dwelt so much as John’s 
upon the triumph that was to come, perhaps because 
when it came it would make no such difference in his 
life as it would in John’s. He would simply go on 
being the humble servant of the Master; but John 
looked forward as a matter of course to holding a high 
position in the kingdom when the triumph of Jesus 
came. 

Bar-joses was so absorbed in the joy of following Jesus 
that he hardly noticed it one day when the Master led 
the twelve apart a little way, as he often did when he 
wanted to speak with them alone. When he observed 


THE LORD TELLS A DREADFUL SECRET. 217 

it lie busied himself, as he usually did at such times, in 
going among the women of the company to attend to any 
wants that they might have. Janna and Nathan were 
playing happily by themselves, as they often did, and 
when Bar-joses had performed some little kindly serv- 
ices for the women he looked again for Jesus. He 
was coming back, walking before the twelve, and as he 
came across the grass Bar-joses thought again of the 
time he had seen him coming up the Jordan valley, all 
radiant with joy and power, walking as if he trod on 
air. His face was radiant now, but not with joy ; he 
was walking now as if he hardly touched the ground, 
but not with the elastic step of that earlier time. He 
seemed lifted above himself, above both joy and sorrow, 
pleasure and pain ; something in his look and step made 
Bar-joses think of the clouds in the far upper air that 
reflect the setting sunlight, but are not blown about by 
the winds that move the trees and flowers. 

Bar-joses could not have put this into words, although 
he felt it ; but he was greatly puzzled when he looked 
from Jesus to the disciples, for some of them were full 
of grief and some looked bewildered and perplexed. 
John, who walked close behind his Master, seemed to 
be in high excitement, and when he saw Bar-joses he 
caught him by the arm saying : 

“ Come aside with me a little, Bar-joses, I must tell 
you. The Master has been telling us that he is going 
to be delivered to the Gentiles, and mocked and shame- 
fully treated and scourged and crucified ! What 
can he mean ? That is not possible, surely ! They 


218 


EPHRAIM. 


could not do it ! They would not dare ! The Son of 
God ! ” 

Bar-joses stood as if stupefied. He remembered oth- 
er words the Lord had spoken like these, yet not like 
these, not horrible like these. What could be their 
meaning ? What hideous parable was this \ 

“ Did he give you no explanation, John, as he has 
done with his other parables ? ” he asked. 

“ He added that after three days he would rise again. 
I cannot but think that some dreadful ordeal lies before 
him and before us all, for surely we shall go with him 
through it all. But it will be short — it must ! After 
three days, he says, he will arise again. And then — I 
see ! He means that in a very short time his triumph 
will come ; he will have conquered not only Jews, but 
Gentiles ! His kingdom will be established over all 
mankind ; Greeks and Homans and Idum seans will be 
compelled to own him Lord, and then, as the prophets 
have prophesied, the place of his feet shall be glo- 
rious ! ” 

John threw back his head after a manner of his own, 
his eyes flashed, his cheeks glowed. He had already 
forgotten the mocking and scourging and crucifying, 
and thought only of the glory and triumph of the king- 
dom. He turned and went to his mother, and drew 
her away from the company of the women, beckoning 
as he did so to his brother. Bar-joses knew from John’s 
animated gestures that he was sharing with them his 
new thoughts. 

That evening Jesus was resting under the shelter of 


SALOME ASKS HIGH OFFICES FOR HER SONS. 219 


a tree, the children near him, when Salome came toward 
him, followed by her two sons. Bowing to the ground 
before him as if he were a king, speaking not with the 
familiar respect of her usual habit, but in formal tones, 
she begged of him a favor — that her two sons might 
have the highest offices in his kingdom, sitting one at 
his right hand and one on his left, to administer its 
affairs. 

Jesus looked from one to the other of the brothers 
with pitying love, and then said with that vibration in 
his voice that always showed that he was feeling deeply, 
“ You do not know what you are asking ; can you drink 
the cup that I am about to drink ? ” 

The brothers, remembering what he had said of the 
shameful ordeal that was before him, and resolute to 
stand by him through the very worst, answered firmly, 
“ We are able.” 

Then Jesus answered, and his voice was full of ten- 
derness, “ You shall indeed drink of my cup. But to 
sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine 
to give, but it is for those for whom my Father has pre- 
pared it.” 

The other disciples had seen the two coming to Jesus 
with their mother, had followed them and heard all that 
was said, and now they began to talk indignantly among 
themselves of this attempt of the brothers to secure in 
advance the highest offices in the kingdom. But Jesus 
called them to sit down near him, and explained to 
them that in his kingdom the greatest would be the one 
who was most ready to serve the others. 


220 


EPHRAIM. 


“ Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered 
unto, but to minister,” he added, “ and to give his life a 
ransom for many.” 

And Bar-joses, sitting a little back under the shadow 
of the tree, rejoiced in his heart that he had the joy of 
being like his Master in this — that it had been his busi- 
ness to serve them all. But what could that saying 
mean, “ To give his life a ransom for many ? ” 


CHAPTER XXXVI. 


HOW THE LORD ENTERED JERUSALEM IN KINGLY STATE. 

They set out the next day for Jerusalem, going not 
directly but by the great highroad that led to Jericho. 
Skirting that beautiful city, “ the Paradise of God,” as 
the Jews loved to call it, they came toward evening to a 
meeting of the ways toward which two caravans of Pass- 
over pilgrims were approaching, one by way of Perea 
and the fords of the Jordan, the other by the shorter but 
uncomfortably hot route along the Jordan valley. It 
was still a week before the Passover, and these compa- 
nies were composed of the more devout Jews. Nearly 
all devout Jews by this time believed on Jesus, and to 
the great joy not only of the twelve disciples, but of 
Jesus’ mother and women friends and also of the 
children, Jesus at once took his position at the head of 
this great caravan as it moved on toward Jericho, 
where the night would be passed. The whole com- 
pany was transported with delight ; now, at last, 
they believed that the kingdom would be proclaimed. 
They were ready now, seeing the time was so near, to 
let him have his own way as to how he would proclaim. 
It was with a sort of awe, Bar-joses observed, that 
the vanguard permitted a little distance to be made 
between the caravan and Jesus and his friends ; and 

( 221 ) 


222 


JERICHO. 


tlnis attended the Master went solemnly before the mul- 
titude to meet the people of Jericho, who, according to 
custom, came forth to greet the festal company with 
glad acclamations. 

It gave a shock of disappointment and bewilderment 
to the pilgrims when Jesus asked for a night’s hospitality 
with the chief tax-gatherer, the despised and hated 
Zacchseus, instead of going home with one of the prin- 
cipal rabbis or some notable person of the city. Zac- 
chseus had repented at the preaching of the Baptist and 
was living in the practice of good works, but the Scribes 
and Pharisees liked him none the better for that. To 
Bar-joses, however, and John and the mother of Jesus, 
it seemed most natural that Jesus should prefer to spend 
the night with a true disciple, and Zacchseus was prob- 
ably of all the believers who lived in Jericho best able 
to give hospitality to so large a party. 

If the pilgrims had felt a little shocked by this action, 
they recovered all their enthusiasm the next morning 
when, on going out of the city, Jesus restored sight to 
two blind beggars. And then, as they went along the 
highway from Jericho to Jerusalem, Jesus told a parable 
which applied closely to his disciples and dear friends, 
as they saw. It was of servants left by their lord in 
charge of his goods while he went into a far country 
to recover a kingdom and to return, and how all the 
servants but one made much of their opportunities and 
did good service, but that one wasted his opportunity 
and gained nothing for his lord ; and how on his return 
the lord rewarded them who had done well by giving 








BETHANY 




JESUS ARRIVES IN BETHANY. 


223 


them still greater service to perform, and punished him 
who had done ill by forbidding him to serve any more. 

Those who knew Jesus best had often heard him speak 
as if the greatest privilege of his kingdom would be the 
opportunity to serve others, but this parable made them 
understand better than before that service was the very 
law of the kingdom, and the children, who liked noth- 
ing better than to be permitted to help the older folk, 
thought it a beautiful law, and understood the parable 
far better than the disciples and other hearers did. And 
when Jesus had told this parable he went forward be- 
fore the disciples, with his face set toward Jerusalem, 
and there was on his countenance such an expression of 
high resolve and of heavenly thought, as if he were 
actually holding converse with God, that even John, 
his dearest and most intimate friend, drew back and 
followed at a little distance. 

The Sabbath lamps were being kindled in the houses 
as they came to Bethany. And there Lazarus and his 
sisters received Jesus and his mother and women friends 
into their house, and the disciples and other followers 
made fresh booths for themselves upon the eastern slope 
of the Mount of Olives, in which to pass the Sabbath. 

The next evening, when the Sabbath sun had set, the 
twelve were invited to a feast in honor of Jesus, and 
Nicodemus and Antipas were also there. It was in 
the house they knew so well, where they had often 
visited Lazarus and his sisters, but Antipas saw with 
surprise that it was not Lazarus who sat in the seat of 
host, but an old man ; and he heard those about him 


224 


BETHANY. 


whispering that it was the father of the family, Simon 
the leper, who had been healed by Jesus, and had 
come home after long years of living in a tomb in the 
valley. 

The feast was ended ; the younger children, who 
after the custom of the time had been standing in the 
corners of the room looking on, had gone to rest ; but 
the guests were still reclining on the couches in conver- 
sation, when Bar-joses, who lingered in the court, saw 
Mary of Bethany go into another room and return with 
an alabaster vase in her hands. Her face was glowing 
with deep emotion as she came up behind where Jesus 
reclined, in the seat of honor next her father. Holding 
the fragile vase above his head, she crushed it in her 
hands, and the air was filled with fragrance as the costly 
spikenard flowed down over his long hair. It was the 
highest honor she could pay him, the richest expression 
of her gratitude and love. 

There was a stir of surprise among the guests, and 
one of the disciples exclaimed, “ What is the use of this 
waste ? Why was not this ointment sold for three hun- 
dred pence and given to the poor ? ” 

Astonished beyond measure that any one could think 
it a waste to pay honor to the Master, Bar-joses looked 
to see who it was that spoke. It was Judas of Kerioth, 
the dark-browed Judean Apostle. , The boy wondered 
at the zeal of Judas for the poor ; if it had been put to 
him which of the twelve was least considerate of others, 
he would have answered, Judas of Kerioth ; and while 
he wondered it flashed across him that Judas was the 


BAE-JOSES’S SOREOW. 


225 


treasurer and carried the common purse of Jesus and 
the twelve. 

But Jesus was speaking, and all thought of Judas 
vanished from Bar-joses’ s mind as his Master said, “ She 
has wrought a good work in me, let her keep it against 
the day of my burying ; for you have the poor with you 
always, but me you have not always.” 

“ Against his burying ! ” Bar-joses staggered out of 
the lighted room and up the hillside to the booth where 
the children slept. As he threw himself down upon 
the grass great sobs shook him ; it seemed as if his heart 
was bursting. Little Janna, who was lying cuddled up 
against Nathan, turned over and put out his hand. 

“ Are you hurt, Bar-joses ? ” he asked sleepily. 
“ Jesus’ll make it well,” and he dropped off to sleep 
again. And the memory of what Jesus had been to 
him all these years stole into the boy’s heart with sweet- 
est solace, fragrant as the odor of the spikenard. Not 
even death, not even burying, could rob him of the 
friend who was, he knew, the very Lord of Life. 

The next morning the little village was crowded with 
people who had heard that Jesus was there. Antipas 
came back, of course, and with him Mark. It seemed 
to Antipas that he should never be tired of looking at 
Jesus, of sitting where he could hear his voice. 

But as one group of people after another came into 
the room, some to talk with Jesus and some to stare at 
Lazarus, whom they considered as great a wonder in his 
way, Antipas slipped out and went to find Bar-joses, 
with whom he could talk of Jesus to his heart’s content. 


226 


BETHANY. 


Antipas had also much to tell Bar-joses, especially 
about that other visit of Jesus to Bethany, and the de- 
termination of the Sanhedrin to have him put to death. 
He was somewhat surprised at the way Bar-joses took 
this dreadful news — it seemed to fit in with something 
already in his mind, Antipas could not quite understand 
what. But he told Bar-joses that his uncle thought that 
Jesus was perfectly safe during the feast-time — the 
rulers would not dare do anything while such multi- 
tudes were there from Galilee and Perea, who knew 
Jesus so well and believed in him so enthusiastically. 

At last there was a stir in the house and Jesus came 
out with his disciples and turned his face toward Jeru- 
salem. All his friends and followers joined him, the 
boys among them, and the villagers followed after. It 
was not long before the boys noticed that Peter and 
James had left the Master’s side and were hastening to 
a hamlet a little off the road. They soon reappeared, 
leading a nearly full-grown donkey colt. Bringing the 
colt up to Jesus, they threw over it their outer garments 
and, seating him upon it, the other disciples took off 
their mantles and spread them upon the road for the colt 
to walk upon. 

All the hillside was dotted with tents and booths of 
Passover pilgrims w T ho had come up from Jericho in 
J esus’ train, and who were eagerly awaiting the moment 
when he should proclaim himself the Messiah of Israel. 
These were devout Jews who knew the prophets well, 
and seeing Jesus seated thus upon the colt, they remem- 
bered a saying of Zechariah which prophesied that the 


THE MULTITUDE SHOUT HOSANNA. 


227 


Messiah would come to Jerusalem riding an ass’s colt. 
They saw that this act was Jesus’ way of proclaiming that 
he was the Messiah, and with one accord they raised the 
cry “ Hosanna to the Son of David ! ” At that moment 
around the shoulder of the hill appeared a procession 
of Passover pilgrims coming out from Jerusalem, bear- 
ing palm branches in token of honor, and at the sight of 
this festal welcome, which seemed like the beginning of 
the triumph for which they hoped, the disciples also 
joined in the cry of “ Hosanna ! ” which was echoing 
from all the hillside. The multitudes in both proces- 
sions were seized with strong enthusiasm and they too 
broke forth in acclamations, “ Hosanna ! ” “ Blessed is he 
that cometh in the name of the Lord ! ” answering to 
one another, “ Blessed is the kingdom that cometh, the 
kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the 
highest ! ” While the disciples, who knew something of 
the nature of the kingdom, shouted, “ Peace in heaven 
and glory in the highest ! ” Above all the shouts rose 
the exultant cry of the children, of little Janna and 
Nathan, of Antipas and Bar-joses and Mark, “ Hosanna, 
Hosanna in the highest ! ” 

So the cry went forward, rolling from lip to lip of 
the great multitude and rousing them to greater enthu- 
siasm. They tore off their mantles to spread them in 
the way ; they broke off branches from the trees, and 
with them carpeted the path, and ever the cry gained 
greater volume, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” 
“ Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ! ” 

Amid the throng there were Pharisees who had come 


228 


JERUSALEM. 


out to see what would be done ; and Bar-joses, who in 
this moment of rapture still kept near his Master, heard 
them remonstrating with Jesus for permitting such ac- 
clamations, and Jesus answering, “ I tell you that if 
they hold their peace the stones will cry out ! ” And 
then he saw the rabbis turn angrily to one another, 
whispering, “ Do you see that you are making no prog- 
ress ? The whole world is gone after him ! ” And with 
unutterable joy Bar-joses believed that at last the whole 
world was indeed ready to own him Lord. 

But now they had turned the corner of the hill where 
suddenly, without a moment’s warning, the magnificent 
vision of Jerusalem bursts upon the eye. Bar-joses, who 
had never seen it before, was rooted to the spot with 
rapture. There it was, the City of the Great King ; its 
stately hills, its palm and olive shaded valleys, its marble 
palaces, its soaring towers, and its glorious temple rising 
clear against the deep blue sky, terrace above terrace, in 
all its splendor of marble and gold. But while the boy 
gazed in ecstasy suddenly the sound of agonized weep- 
ing came to his ears, and the voice he loved above all 
others exclaimed in tones of piercing sorrow, “ If thou 
hadst known in this day — even thou — the things which 
belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine 
eyes ! ” The boy’s heart was ready to break with sym- 
pathy in his Master’s grief ; but why, oh why, this 
agony of sorrow in this hour of triumph ? Bar-joses 
was too deep in grieved perplexity to see the bewildered 
looks the disciples exchanged with one another. 

The procession moved on ; the cries of “ Hosanna 1 ” 


JESUS ENTEKS THE CITY. 


229 


bad not .been checked by the agony of sorrow of which 
only those nearest Jesus had known, and they broke 
forth again with new ecstasy as the multitude caught the 
inspiring sight of Jerusalem. Down the hillside, into 
the valley, and through the city gates and up the wind- 
ing streets to the temple mount the long procession 
swept, with its cries of “ Hosanna .' 5 The whole city 
was stirred. Some cried, “ Who is he ? 55 and the shout 
went up from the multitude, u This is Jesus, the prophet 
from Nazareth of Galilee ! 55 But Bar-joses and Anti- 
pas and all the children wondered that they did not say, 
“ This is our Messiah, our King, our God ! 55 For that 
was what they knew him to be. 

At the temple gate Jesus descended from the colt ; 
the evening sacrifice was going on, and quiet fell upon 
the people. And as night drew on he quietly turned 
and went back to Bethany alone with his own faithful 
friends. 


CHAPTER XXXVII. 


HOW JUDAS OF KERIOTH LOOKED DARKLY ON HIS LORD. 

For the next few days the children saw little of 
Jesus. He was entirely occupied through the day in 
teaching in the temple or talking with the rabbis and 
the priests, and at night he went out to Bethany, where 
he devoted himself especially to the twelve. Anti pas 
obtained leave of his uncle to have Bar-joses with him, 
for the friendship which had grown up between the 
two boys in the happy days in Galilee had too strong 
a bond in their love for Jesus to have been weakened 
by a year of separation. Ezra and Ruth, with Janna, 
had found a lodging with friends in the city, and Obed 
and Nathan were still camping in their booth on the 
hillside. From time to time the children met, as Bar- 
joses was exploring the city under the guidance of An- 
tipas and Mark. Sometimes they met in the temple, 
and one day Jesus came into the Court of the Women 
where they were. At once Janna raised the cry, “ Ho- 
sanna to the Son of David ! ” Nathan took it up, and 
the elder boys followed, and the other children there, 
boys who had come with their parents to the temple 
for the first time, joined in the cry, till all the courts of 
the Lord’s house rang with the children’s glad shouts of 
praise. 


( 230 ) 


THE CHILDREN IN THE TEMPLE. 


231 


Some of the chief priests and rabbis indignantly ap- 
pealed to Jesus to stop them. To have attempted them- 
selves to stop them was more than they dared do, for 
they greatly feared that the people would break out in 
open revolt if they said anything against the claims of 
Jesus. But Jesus smiled over at the children — they re- 
membered it afterward in the dreadful moment when they 
next saw him smile — and answered, quoting one of the 
Psalms, “ Did you never read, 6 Out of the mouth of 
babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ’ ? ” And 
so the children shouted on until Jesus went out of the 
temple to return to Bethany. 

Sometimes the boys lingered in the outskirts of the 
crowd that gathered around Jesus as he taught, and heard 
the parables with which he plainly showed the rulers 
that he was the Messiah and what was the nature of his 
kingdom, or warned them against the awful danger of 
refusing him. Sometimes they heard him arguing with 
them. 

Mark and Antipas, who were more familiar with the 
secret purposes of the priests and Scribes than Bar-joses 
was, thought sometimes that the rulers were trying to 
entrap him into giving them some pretext for accusing 
him before the Roman governor ; but if so, they failed, 
for he always answered them in such a way that they 
were filled with confusion. Once they heard him utter 
very awful woes against the Scribes and Pharisees, call- 
ing them hypocrites, and once they heard him mourn 
over Jerusalem in words of heart-breaking tenderness. 
Once they heard him speak kindly of a poor widow who 


232 


JERUSALEM. 


had put less than half a cent into the treasury, saying 
that she had put in more than they all with their rich 
gifts ; and Bar-joses, who had seen him feed five thou- 
sand men with the little store of food that he himself 
had brought as an offering to his dear Master, well 
understood how true it was that the gift of love might 
be made incomparably valuable by the Master’s blessing. 
And once they heard him cry aloud so that all could 
hear, “ He that believeth in me believeth not in me, 
but in Him that sent me. And he that beholdeth me 
beholdeth Him that sent me. I am come a light into 
the world that whosoever believeth on me may not 

abide in darkness Even as the Father hath said 

unto me, so I speak ! ” 

One thing Bar-joses noticed — he said nothing about 
it even to Antipas, though he thought about it much — 
whenever he saw the twelve surrounding Jesus, he 
observed that the face of Judas of Kerioth was turned 
away from him, and that it was dark and lowering. 
And one evening he was startled to hear Nicodemus 
say, “ I met one of the Master’s disciples going into the 
high-priest’s house to-day as I came out. I can hardly 
think what he could have to do there.” 

Then Bar-joses thought it might be well to tell the 
good rabbi what he had observed of Judas, and Nico- 
demus meditated long and painfully on what Bar-joses 
told him. But finally he said, “ I cannot think there 
can be any meaning in it, not immediately at least, for 
this very day at a meeting of the Council it was decided 
to do nothing against Jesus during the festival week, 


THE APPROACH OF DANGER. 


233 


for fear of making an uprising among the people. And 
besides, my boy, I cannot think it possible that one who 
has lived all this time in daily companionship with our 
Lord can do aught but love him. He could not wish 
to do him harm.” And Bar-joses felt sure that he 
could not. 

But the next morning the boy met Peter and John 
in the street, and they told him that the twelve had 
spent the whole of the previous day alone with the 
Master, and that he had told them of dreadful tribula- 
tions that were before them, and that he was to leave 
them for a while, but that he would come back suddenly, 
at some time when they did not expect him, and their 
reward would be glorious. They would not mind the 
tribulations, John said, for the sake of the glorious end. 
But Jesus had again repeated those shocking words 
about being crucified. And now he had sent them out 
secretly to a place that they themselves did not yet 
know, with a sign by which to find it, to prepare for 
the Passover, as if he knew that danger was very near. 

Bar-joses went home with a weight of dread upon 
his heart. 

Just before evening Mark came to see Antipas and 
Bar-joses, and told them that Jesus and the twelve had 
already assembled to take the Passover by themselves in 
the guest chamber of his mother’s house. 


CHAPTER XXXVIII. 


HOW MARK SAW THE BETRAYAL OF THE LORD. 

John had listened to his Lord’s warnings of sorrow 
and promises of future glory with heart divided between 
anguish and exultation. The fiery, impetuous boy of 
eighteen, whose whole heart had gone forth in a blaze 
of love the first day he ever saw Jesus, had become now 
a man of twenty one, young still, and still impetuous 
and fiery, bnt maturing fast through the deep love that 
had taken possession of his whole being, subduing the 
leaping flames of his passions into a steady glow, and 
transferring headlong impetuosity into burning zeal. 
Loving his Master as he did, he trusted him thoroughly, 
believed in him absolutely, was willing to suffer for him 
whatever he might ask, but still had not for a moment 
thought anything other than that the kingdom must be 
one of external rule as well as internal obedience. His 
Lord’s teachings confused and subdued him, but did 
not make him see the future in any other light. And 
so it was with Peter, who, though ten years older than 
John and differing from him in many respects, was 
most like him in the love he bore his Lord. 

How they were gathered at supper in the upper cham- 
ber. Notwithstanding the intense solemnity of the mo- 
ment, when to each one it seemed as if the crisis must 
( 234 ) 


JOHN LEARNS WHO IS THE BETRAYER. 235 


soon come, the disciples had entered the room in sharp 
contention as to who should be greatest in the kingdom 
soon to be proclaimed. With the unfailing patience of 
all the years they had been together Jesus had reminded 
them that the greatest was he who served others most ; 
and rising from the table, he had laid aside his upper 
garment and girded himself with a towel like a servant, 
and had poured water into a basin and washed the feet 
of them all. Then, the lesson taught, he had reclined 
among them, John with his head upon his Master’s 
breast, J udas on the Master’s other side, Peter opposite 
John, and the rest as they liked best ; and so they had 
eaten the paschal feast. And John had been more 
blissfully happy than words could say, lying there next 
his Lord, till in the midst of the feast the Master had 
grown very sad and had said that one of them would 
betray him. To John it came like a thunderclap — it 
was impossible, it could not be true ! And the Lord 
by a sign had shown him that the betrayer was Judas ; 
and when the supper was ended he had permitted Judas 
to go away — no one but John knew why. 

But he soon forgot all about Judas. For now the 
Lord, with simple, loving words, gave to them bread 
and wine as symbols of his body and blood, and bade 
them do in this manner always in memory of him. 
And then he talked with them far into the night. He 
was going away, but not to leave them alone. He 
would send the Holy Spirit to be always with them, 
bringing to their remembrance all that he had taught 
them. And they were not to feel that they were 


236 


JERUSALEM. 


separated from him, but to abide in him as closely 
and be as really joined to him as the branch is to the 
vine. And his peace was to be always with them. In 
the world they would have tribulation, but they must 
be of good cheer, for he had overcome the world. 

Then he lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, 
asking the Father to glorify him, asking that they might 
be sanctified in the truth and perfected into one with 
him and with the Father, and that they might be with 
him to behold his eternal glory. 

And then, the hours having gone on far into the 
night, they sang the Passover hymn and went out to 
the Mount of Olives, to a garden where Jesus always 
loved to go with them — the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Late that night a message came from the high-priest 
to Nicodemus, summoning him to attend a meeting of 
the Council. 

A little later, while Bar-joses and Antipas, made 
anxious by the summons of Nicodemus, were talking 
together before lying down again to sleep, they heard 
voices at the entrance, then hasty steps, and Mark 
rushed in, in a paroxysm of grief, and throwing him- 
self upon the divan said between sobs and tears that 
Jesus had been arrested. 

They were stuuned. After all these days of anxiety 
it came upon them as if they had never thought of dan- 
ger. They sat rigid, looking at Mark’s tears without the 
power to weep or make a sign. At last Bar-joses said 
huskily, “ How ? ” — his parched lips would say no more. 


WHAT MARK SAW AT GETHSEMANE. 237 


And Mark told how, long after the house was still 
and he had gone to bed, he heard a noise, and looking 
out, there were men and temple officers with torches 
and swords and staves, and Judas at their head, and 
when they asked for Jesus and were told that he had 
left the house they went away. And he had risen and 
hastily cast on his abbas and hurried after, and followed 
them to the garden on Olivet, Gethsemane ; and there 
Jesus had come forth to them with his disciples, and 
Judas had gone up and kissed him, and by that dastard 
deed had made him known to the officers. 

“ Oh ! ” he exclaimed with sudden fury, “ I hope his 
very soul was burned with remorse when the Master 
said to him, 6 Judas, do you betray the Son of man with 
a kiss ? 5 ” 

Mark burst into a sobbing cry, and the other two sat 
speechless. At last Antipas said, in a trembling voice, 
“ And what then, Mark ? ” 

“ Why, then,” said Mark, “ it seemed as if the whole 
rabble felt the awe of Jesus ; they staggered, and many 
of them fell on the ground. But Jesus stood waiting, and 
presently they got up and he gave himself up to them. 
But first he made them promise to let his disciples go, 
and Peter drew a sword and cut off the ear of one of 
them ; and Jesus bade him put away his sword, for he 
would drink the cup his Father had given him. And 
then,” said Mark, with another burst of tears, “he 
asked them — oh, so gently and courteously — to release 
him a moment, and they obeyed as if he were their 
Master, not their prisoner, and he touched the man’s 


238 


JERUSALEM. 


ear and healed it. And then they led him away, and I 
did not see what became of the disciples, for one of the 
officers saw me and chased me and caught me by the 
abbas. I could only get away by leaving it in his 
hand. But I ran to Obed’s booth on the hillside and 
he gave me an abbas to wrap me in, and then I came 
here.” 

There was no sleep for the boys that night. Shiver- 
ing and weeping and sometimes praying, they waited 
for Nicodemus to come home from the Council. 


CHAPTER XXXIX. 


HOW THE CHILDREN LOVED THEIR LORD UNTIL THE END. 

But Nicodemus did not come. Tlie hours passed on 
and still he did not come. The Passover moon went 
down and the spring sun was peeping above the Mount 
of Olives when they heard the trampling of many foot- 
steps and the subdued roar of many voices, and they 
hastened to look out. They were bringing Jesus to the 
governor’s palace. 

They could not stay another moment. In agony of 
heart they rushed out, hardly noticing that Nicodemus 
passed them in the court, pale, haggard, with a look of 
anguish on his face. 

In the outer court of Pilate’s palace stood the mem- 
bers of the Council — all but Nicodemus and Rabbi 
Joseph. Neither law-abiding Pharisees nor mocking 
Sadducees would enter a heathen’s house on this festival 
day for fear of being defiled ; but the boys knew there 
was no defilement where Jesus was, and they pressed in 
and stood among the mob, the rabble of Jerusalem. No 
Passover pilgrims here, none of those who had so often 
hung upon his words and been healed by his touch ; 
only the off-scouring of a great city’s streets. On the 

( 239 ) 


240 


JERUSALEM. 


steps of the Praetorium stood Pilate and Jesus beside 
him. 

They had never loved him as they loved him now, 
pale, haggard, weary, but divinely patient and sweet 
and strong. There for a long time he stood while 
Pilate argued with the priests and then conversed with 
Jesus, and at last declared that there was no fault in 
him, and, when the rulers still clamored for his death, 
got rid of it all by sending him to Herod, who was then 
in Jerusalem. Into Herod’s palace the chief priests 
followed him ; it was not a heathen house. The boys, 
who had followed too with anguish of heart, could see 
that he stood majestically silent while the rulers vehe- 
mently accused him. 

Herod questioned him, but Jesus answered nothing ; 
but for the example of his royal calmness it seemed to the 
three boys that they should have gone mad with rage 
when at last Herod handed him over to his soldiers and 
they jeered at him and set him at naught and scornfully 
arrayed him in a gorgeous robe. 

Back again to Pilate, the crowd trooping after, and 
amongst them three boys with bursting hearts. 

And there, while Pilate tried to set him free, the 
priests and Scribes were moving among the mob whisper- 
ing that when the governor asked them to what prisoner 
he should accord the usual freedom in honor of the 
Passover festival, they must be sure to shout loudly for 
Barabbas, the bandit, and not for Jesus. And presently 
two prisoners were placed together upon the Praetorium 
steps, Barabbas, the rebel and murderer with his dark, 



THE WAY TO HEROD’S PALACE. 


























































































































PILATE TRIES IN VAIN TO RELIEVE JESUS. 241 


bad face, and Jesus, looking more divine than ever in his 
majestic suffering ; and the mob cried out, “ Not that 
man ! Away with that man ; give us Barabbas, Barab- 
bas ! ” 

Then with awful roar began a cry, “ Crucify him ! 
Crucify him ! ” It seemed to the boys that as Pilate 
stood there, pale and trembling, washing his bands in 
water to show that he was innocent of Jesus’ blood, while 
Jesus looked on, calm and self-possessed — it seemed to 
them that Jesus looked like the ruler and Pilate like a 
pitiful, cringing slave. But now Jesus was given over 
to the soldiers, and the boys waited, clinging to one an- 
other in agony, knowing of the cruel scourging that 
their dear .Master was undergoing at the hands of those 
brutal soldiers. And, after a time that they felt to be an 
age, he was led out again, pale and trembling and bleed- 
ing, with a crown of thorns upon his brow ; yet still 
most serene, most kingly. Oh, would not those wicked 
priests be satisfied with this, would they not let him go ? 
For again Pilate was trying to release him. “ I bring 
him out that you may know that I find no crime in 
him,” he said. But the roar grew more threatening, 
“ Crucify him ! ” and at last they had their will. Pilate 
gave him up to be crucified. 

The three boys would not, could not, go to Golgotha 
to see the awful deed ; but they placed themselves in 
the way where be must pass, that he might see at least 
in their faces the look of love that he had so often loved 
to meet. And with them stood Nathan and little 
Janna ; and as he went by, staggering, almost fainting 


242 


JERUSALEM. 


under the heavy cross-bar of his cross, he looked on 
them and smiled. And they remembered how he had 
smiled upon them in the temple when they shouted 
“ Hosanna ! ” 


They went home with Mark, and in the upper cham- 
ber, where he had eaten the Passover and prayed, they 
knelt and prayed and gave themselves to him for life or 
death. 

The disciples had forsaken him and fled when he was 
led away from Gethsemane — even John, his beloved 
disciple, and Peter, the rock on whose loyal strength* he 
had loved to lean. But these two soon gathered heart 
and followed him to the high-priest’s palace and heard 
the sneering questions, the cruel mockings, the dastardly 
insults that the priests and the rabbis heaped upon the 
Lord. And Peter cowardly denied that he knew him ; 
and then when his Lord turned and looked at him his 
heart broke with repentance and he went out and wept 
bitterly. 

John had gone away, but not for long. At early 
dawn he was at Bethany breaking the dreadful news to 
Jesus’ mother, and supporting her fainting steps along 
that road to Jerusalem over which five days before her 
adored son had ridden amid loud hosannas. And now 
he led her to the place where they were crucifying him. 
Mary of Magdala and Salome, and Mary, the mother of 
James the Little, followed them. 

They sat beside the cross and suffered with him ; it 


THE DEATH OF THE LORD JESUS. 


243 


was tlieir only way of serving him now. Ah, never 
before was John so sure that Jesus was the Messiah and 
Lord of all. And presently the Master looked on them 
with the words, “ Woman, behold thy son ! Behold thy 
mother ! ” To his mother he gave the last look of love, 
the love that had never failed, and to his beloved disciple 
the last look of command, more precious than any other 
gift, the opportunity to serve ; and without waiting for 
the end, while a mysterious darkness was rolling over 
the daylight, John took the mother of Jesus away, to be 
his precious charge for the rest of her life. 

In the house of Mark the children saw the darkness 
coming at noon-day. They did not mind. Their hearts 
were with Jesus in his agony. 

At three o’clock there was an earthquake, and the 
darkness rolled away, and then they knew that he was 
dead. 

When Anti pas and Bar-joses went home they met 
Nicodemus coming out — a bent and worn old man, yet 
with a firm look about his mouth that Antipas had never 
noticed before. With him was Joseph. “ We are going 
to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus,” he said, and 
later the boys were told that the precious body had been 
laid in Joseph’s new tomb. 

And then the silver trumpets sounded and the lamps 
were lit and the Sabbath drew on. 

That Sabbath these children whom Jesus loved spent 
in thought of him, recalling to mind every precious 


244 


JERUSALEM. 


word that he had spoken, everything he had done for 
them, and if at any time they could remember any little 
service they had done for him, then for a moment they 
were happy. 


It was early Sunday morning and Antipas was still 
sleeping for sorrow and weariness when quick steps 
came running to his door. Bar-joses stood before him 
radiant, almost transfigured. “ The Lord has risen,” he 
said. 

“ Risen ! ” To these children it was not a thing hard 
to believe. They remembered now that he had said so : 
“ After three days I will rise again.” Why should he 
not do all that he had said ? 

They ran to Nicodemus with the news, but he could 
not believe it. They believed it none the less. They 
ran to Mark, and met him running to them, for Peter 
had told him, and Mark, too, found it not difficult to 
believe. And then they ran to tell Obed and Nathan 
and Ezra and Ruth and Janna. And while the parents 
believed not for joy, the children rejoiced to believe ; it 
was nothing more than they knew Jesus could do. 

Perhaps it was the Lord’s way of rewarding their 
faith by showing that he knew it, that they did not see 
him then. The disciples, who found it hard to believe, 
saw him once and again. The women saw him, some of 
the Jerusalem disciples saw him, but not the children. 
Yet they were always happy, knowing that he was alive 
and that he trusted them. 

At last the message came to all of them : “ The Mas- 


THE CHILDREN AGAIN SEE THE LORD. 245 

ter calls you to a certain place.” They had long before 
this gone to their homes in Galilee — Bar-joses and Anti- 
pas, Nathan and Janna and all the twelve, except Judas, 
who had killed himself in a horror of remorse. And 
Nicodemus was there, in the house of Chuza and Joanna, 
and Mark and his parents at the house of Zebedee, for 
Jesus had promised to see them in Galilee. To them and 
to little Tabitha and her father and motherland to many 
others the summons came, “ The Lord calls for you.” 

So they went out to a lonely mountain to see him, a 
great company, more than five hundred, who loved the 
Lord with all their hearts. And there at last the chil- 
dren looked into his eyes and heard his voice, and once 
more he smiled on them. And that smile rested on 
their hearts as long as they lived, and made labor and 
friendship and sorrow and joy and life and death and 
the world and all things glorious, because all things re- 
flected his smile. 

Then forty days after he had risen from the dead 
those dearest to him were all in Jerusalem again ; for he 
had said he would be there. And gathering together in 
the upper chamber in Mark’s mother’s house, he opened 
their minds so that they understood just how he was the 
Messiah, the King, not only of Israel, but of the world ; 
and that his kingdom was already in the world, and they 
were its members, and it was for them to bring afi other 
men to enter it. And then he led them out upon the 
Mount of Olives. And while they were all gathered 
around him, he lifted up his hands and blessed them ; 


246 


THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. 


and as the words of blessing sank into their hearts he 
was parted from them and was carried into heaven. 
Then they worshipped and their hearts were filled with 
joy, partly because he had left them work to do for him, 
but most of all because he had loved them and would 
love them eternally 


THE END. 


























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